Million Dollar Loud
by spotty-bee
Summary: After a horrible accident Lucy wakes up from a coma, eighteen years in the future. Her family has changed and the accident has left scars not only on them, but Lucy herself as well. As she tried to cope with her condition and figure out what all has happened, Lucy find herself doing the same for her loved ones. Whether she knows it or not.
1. Awakening Ch1

_Ugh…_

 _At first the licking of lips and moving of tongue only supplies dust. There's no.. wet where wet should be._

 _Eyes clench. Wet there... too wet... sticky. There's gunk there…_

 _Ugh…_

 _Tired... really Tired... back to sleep…_

* * *

 _Ugh…_

 _Licking lips again. Not wet. Eyes... still wet…_

 _Time..._ what time is it?

At first opening her eyes was difficult, to say the least. When they actually squeaked opens a smidgen she clamped them shut again.

 _Ugh... Lights too bright…_

 _Wait. Something... Something I'm supposed to do...? Something…_

 _Paper... School paper due... due.. Today?_

 _Dam. What time...?_

She emboldened her attempts and didn't shy away when the bight light made her eyes want to sink into her skull. Everything was blurry at first, and the stuff on her eyes didn't help. She blinked a bit, trying to clear the blistering light and see what was before her.

The light, not actually being that bright, was coming from a window, near the foot of her bed... At least what she could see from the corner of it. Mostly she just saw ceiling and the upper portion of light grey walls.

All unfamiliar.

She scanned the room ideally, letting her eyes adjust before turning her head a bit. Her neck creaked as she did so, and she found herself slightly concerned when Lynn's bed wasn't across from her. There was nothing on the walls. No pictures, no nothing. There was an old wardrobe…

 _No clock…_

 _The light from the window wasn't bright... maybe there was still time._

 _Time? What did she need that for again?_

 _Oh, paper... paper about...?_

She grimaced, trying to remember. _English? History? Pfft, what else... creative writing?_

 _Ugh, head hurts. Too much thoughts…_

 _Too- too many... Too many thinks? Ah forget it._

 _Too tired to think…_

She drug her head back up to the ceiling before sighing and going back to sleep.

 _Paper... Lynn's... bed... no clock…_

* * *

 _Mouth dry. Eyes gooey. Head... tilted?_

Opening her eyes with less difficulty she realized she was sitting up. Looking around and lifting her head up slightly she could see she was in a new room…

A living room, with a couch and Tv. The room looked very new, the furniture, the coffee table... the Tv was something else. The screen was curved and seemed to be made of see through glass, the images almost projected on it. In fact the window behind it could almost be seen through the image.

Confusion... How was that possible? She looked to the only other thing she could see in the room. Hung on the wall near a door was…

Her parent's wedding photo?

It was a large print, with the two holding each other close, smiling at each other while her mother's stomach held the first pudge of pregnancy. That was Lori…

Where was everybody...? Should be more noisy... right?

Trying to turn her head was difficult. There was a table next to her that had a Tv remote and a picture of Lana and Lola, taken when they were five and starting school. Licking her lips she laxed her head slightly.

She was somewhere... but her family was here... maybe some of them? She attempted to sit up and look around a bit more…

And trying...trrryyying...TRYING…

No movement. Not even a twitch, she wasn't even feeling the strain of the attempts to move from the muscles.

Seems like that should be concerning, but her head also felt full of cotton balls... Maybe later?

"Meow."

Her brain spluttered in order to keep up with events. Looking down a bit she expect to see Cliff... but found a white cat instead. It padded into the room quietly, looking board at the TV before looking to her.

The two blinked at each other.

The cat, clearly surprised, padded to her and leaped into her lap, looking up at her face quizzically. She had to squint a bit. There was something on it's collar. Strange shapes…

Letters stupid, keep up.

Right. Uhhg... She attempted to make sense of them as the cat sniffed her.

Thats was a... C... R? Yes... yes thats an R...Cr... Crag? I think…

"Crahhah."

Whoa. Even the cat looked shocked. Her voice was raspy and rough, not to mention it didn't seem to want to work right. Crag however leapt from her lap, scuttling back a ways and looking back at her wide eyed.

"MEOW!" Crag took off out of her sight. "Meow!"

She sighed and let her head lay back down...

 _She was tired a lot now. Why was she soo tired…_

 _She had to write a paper... She had to…_

 _...get this stuff off her eyes…_

As she shut them she could make out Crag meowing audibly in another room…

"What is it Crag-"

* * *

 _Eyes, mouth, blagh... tired, paper... future tv…_

Her eyes opened for the third time, finding herself back in the bedroom. It was dark now. The only light coming from the hall way, door slightly ajar. She momentarily wondered if she had used the bathroom at all today…

Did she eat?

Wait how was she moving from room to room?

Her brain puttered along at the speed a kin to a golf cart. Blinking to clear her vision she looked to the side again, turning her neck and looking around.

 _No Lynn bed... No clock…_

 _Just a wardrobe... Wait... I've seen that before... Its mom and dads?_

Indeed the old wardrobe was her parents. It used to be in their room.

 _Did they get a new one?_

Before that thought could continue there was a voice outside the door. It was muffled but seemed be getting closer and clearer. No wait... there was two?

"-be right there, I'm just gonna check on her."

The door pushed open and for the first time since she had awoken a human figure came into view. The person walked to her bedside, straightening her head a bit and brushing her hair flat with their hands.

Felt nice... She shut her eyes a bit and relaxed under the soothing touches. The silhouette hummed softly before taking a blanket from the bottom of the bed and tucking her in. Then they returned and kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight sweetie, we love you so,so much..." They said, their voice wispy and feeble. She couldn't make out much of their face in the dark, but she knew that voice anywhere.

Mom.

The hair looked different somehow but that's who it was. She was too tired, however, to ask about the changes to the woman's appearance or what had happened all day. So she just decided to roll with it... she was sleepy again anyway... need to figure out why I'm so tired now... later on... after sleep…

"Luff you tooo." She grumbled…

Her mother froze.

Just knelt over her, locked in place, hands hovering as she seemed to stop breathing. At first Lucy felt concern…

Was there a gas leak in here? Is That why she was like this? Why was mom doing that?

After a few seconds the woman shuttered, hands shaking and she quickly stood up, leaning over her daughter with hands on the girl's shoulders. She was stalk still for a few moment, taking a ragged breath before speaking in a broken tone.

"L-lucy?"

"Hmmm...?" Lucy responded, blinking up at her.

Rita Loud emitted a sound similar to a dry sob, shaking as she took Lucy's head in her hands. She seemed too shocked to move for a few seconds, grappling inside herself before running for the door, throwing it open and slamming it back on the wall.

"LYNNARD!" Someone was running down the hall, knocking over things over if the crashing noise was any indication. "LYNNARD!" Mom screamed again as another figure came into view.

"What is it?! Is she not breathing?! WHERE'S THE VENTILATOR!?" It was dad. He ripped open a door across the hall and began to root inside. "Dammit it should be right up front, like we plan!"

"No, honey!" Rita grabbed her husband's shoulder and whimpered. "She's awake..."

The man stopped his searching, but stayed in the closet, hands holding a large machine in his hands. His wife held his shoulders tightly. "Lynnard... Lucy's finally..."

The box fell from his hands with a thud, they both turned to hurried back to her, turning on the lights as they did so. Lucy winced at the brightness, moaning unhappily.

"Lucy..." Dad knelt beside her, mom poised over his shoulder in worry. He quickly brushed some hair from her face and clearing her vision a bit. "Lucy, honey do you... do you know who we are?"

The question threw her. "W-whaaaa?" She grumbled.

"Our names, sweety. Who we are to you... anything?" Rita asked softly, clenched her husband's shoulder in a death grip.

Lucy blinked again, half confused and half blinded by the ceiling light. "M-mom and dad?" She grunted.

"Oh my god Lynnard..." Mom whispered as he reached up his hand to take her own. They held each other's hands tightly.

"Lucy... hon, what do you remember before... waking up?"

 _Oh. Well there a question... what did she remember? Wait! Wait there was something…_

"Paper...Paper for school... gonna be late..." Lucy murmured, wincing as she thought about it. She should have started way earlier, her parents were gonna be disappointed if she failed this... "Sorry..."

"No! No Lucy, its.. its fine honey. Don't worry about that..." Rita said, taking to stroking the side of Lucy's face. "Don't worry about that anymore..."

 _Don't worry about school?_

"Why?" Lucy asked quietly.

Her parents paused, sharing a pained look before her father seemed to steel himself, forcing a sad smile. "Its... no reason, honey... Just relax." He turned to his wife and spoke to her softly. "Call her."

She stands uncertainly, wavering in indecision, staring at Lucy before her husband nudged her. "Rita, Call her." She gave a shaky nod before turning and running out of the room.

Lucy looks back to her father, watching him take her own hand and lift it into the air with his grasp... She could sense the pressure and warmth of his hold but all other feeling got wonky after that... Like where or how he was holding it.

She tried to hold it back... She watched her hand not even respond. There was no change or movement.

 _That had happened earlier to... in the chair…_

"I.. can't move my hand..." Lucy murmured, still not as worried as she supposed she should be... He father only responded by clutching her hand in both of his own, squeezing it softly and looking back to the hallway where his wife was returning with a phone to her ear.

"-Not sure h-how long she's been back, but she's coherent. Well kind of coherent. Maybe a little slow. I- Not she's still breathing fine and she remembers us and having a school paper due. I just... it been so long, what if-" She paused, looking very flustered and listening to the phone. "Fifteen minutes. Alright, bring an overnight bag if you want, you can take the guest room."

Who was sleeping over?

And why was she so tired still?

"I'm really tired..." Lucy sighed as her mother paced back and forth in the room. Mr Loud looked back to his wife quietly as the blonde put a hand to her head nervously.

"She says she's tired." Rita said softly, stopping in the middle of the room and almost hugging the phone to her ear. "Should she... Is it ok if..." She paused to listen again before nodding. "Alright... ok." She put the phone to her shoulder and came back to Lucy's side. Rita bit her lip but held one hand to her daughter's face. "Honey you can go back to sleep, its ok..."

The swirling competition of emotions in her mother's eyes made Lucy worried for a moment... She dosen't seem to WANT her to go back to sleep. Only its ok if she does? Ugh... Her brain wheezed at the excess information. Rita seemed to sense this as she forced a smile before reluctantly returning to pacing as she listen to the caller on the other end again.

Lucy shut her eyes, sighing when her father freed one of his hands to stroke through her hair. She tilted into his touch gratefully before drifting off…

* * *

It was later on when Lucy woke again. Her eyes weren't wet anymore, but her mouth was still dry...

Didn't have to worry about that paper anymore…

Groggily she opened her eyes. The lights were still lit and the blinds were closed. The room was different however... Someone had dragged chairs in and in one of them was her father, fast asleep and under a blanket. There was also a bedside table now, covered in small machines with a stack of paper.

What really catches Lucy attention was the electronic alarm clock placed at the forefront. The red numbers showing it was about four fifteen Am…

 _Still tired... Dammit._

It was kinda aggravating how it didn't seem to matter the hours she slept, she was still exhausted. She was half tempted to keep on sleeping, but her tongue felt like sandpaper…

She was dying for a drink of water.

Looking back to her dad she tried to sit up, grunting when nothing responded.

This was now a little alarming.

Shifting what she could, she tried to sit up again. And again... And again. She wheezed a bit. No arm movement. She tried another way... No LEG movement! Nothing! What?!

Ah, there's that horrible feeling she had expected before…

Whimpering loudly Lucy kept trying to move, well, anything. Fingers, toes, anythings. She started sobbing, panicked and confused. Her mind had only caught up to half its usual production and was finally able to realize the state its body was it. What to do other than freak out was still out of reach however.

It seemed her body wasn't ready for all this excitement however. Sobs turned to coughs and she suddenly found it hard to breath. If she were able she could have have just sat up and leveled her breath, but then again the fact that she couldn't move her body was what got her here in the first place.

At least she woke her dad up.

He snuffled under the blanket, sitting up with a snork. However it only took two seconds for him to appear at her side. "Lucy! Lucy, try and calm your breathing!" He suddenly maneuvered an arm under her and hoisted her into a sitting position. Pillows were arranged behind her, helping keep her upright as he started to pat her on the back and hush her. "Come on, deep breaths sweety..."

He held her head steady as she cough and tried to do as he said. Slowly the panic attack faded but it left behind a steady stream of tears and drool Lucy was embarrassed to realize she couldn't wipe away herself. So she whined again, upset at whatever had happened to her and upset at her current state...

What had happened? Why couldn't she move?

So tired... So thirsty...her mouth wasn't dry anymore but she needed something to drink to ease her aching throat.

She coughed a bit more to clear her airways as her father slowly let her go and allowed her to sit on her own. Her head dipped a bit without the support but she managed to lift it back up.

Something was working at least…

"Lucy, whats wrong?" Her dad asked, rubbing her upper back. She looked at him with her tear stained and spit covered face... trying to speak past the cotton in her head.

"I can't- and ... my arms are... I'm really thirsty!" It felt stupid to say, but that was all she could manage to get out before starting to cough again. Dad helped her again, clapping her on the back and holding her head.

"Rita, she's up and she needs something to drink!" He shouted, turning to the doorway.

"Coming!" His wife responded from deeper in the house.

They were left alone for a few moments, dad rubbing her back as she tried to catch her breath. She could feel drool dripping from her chin and could only stare vacantly at the end of her bed. The promise of water had managed to sooth her slightly, but the mess on her face and her inability to clear it kept anxiety alive in her gut.

Mom appeared at the doorway only to pause at the sight of her, she turned to someone beside her and handed them a glass. "Give this to her. I'm going to get a wash cloth."

A brown haired young woman entered the room dressed in a pair of pajamas. The shirt had a picture of the table of Elements that read 'I wear this shirt 'periodically'. The pants were purple and had large pockets holding a collection of instruments. Her hair was messy and she squinted as she came into the room, holding a clear plastic glass of water. She studied Lucy thoughtfully before handing Mr Loud the glass.

"Here you go Lucy, take a drink of this ok." He said, raising the glass to her mouth. Lucy swallowed with some difficulty, but the relief the water provided was wonderful. He pulled the glass away before she was ready, but she relent to his wishes and licked her dry lips.

Then someone took her by the chin and shone a bright light in her eyes. 'Nah..." Lucy hadn't the energy to argue, groaning as the light remained until she opened the eye to stare into it. The process was repeated on the other eye until the person with the flashlight seemed satisfied.

"No sign of damage here." The girl spoke, pocketing the device again and leaning into her. "Do you remember you full name?"

Lucy stared at her, trying to dull the burning in her eyes. "Uh... Lucy.."

"Lucy what?"

She blinked harder. "Lucy... Desiree Loud..."

"Where do you live?"

What? Lucy stared at the girl in confusion. "Here?"

"Address. Give me your address." The brunette said tightly.

"Uhhh... 1216 Franklin ... Avenue..." The brunette seemed satisfied as she snatched up the pile of paper and uncapped her pen, scribbling something down. Before she could ask any questions of her own however her father returned with the glass of water, giving her another drink.

"Your doing good Lucy." He said as she swallowed some more water. He pulled the glass away just as her mother returned with a warm wash cloth, wiping her face clean as gently as possible. The warm cloth felt nice and she groaned into it.

"How is it looking so far?" Dad asked, chair squeaking as he sat back.

"Its too early to tell but all signs show she may be fully cognitive thus far. We'll need more tests to see if this is true though." The brunette spoke setting the papers down as Rita pulled the cloth away. "Brain scans are good. She's awake and responsive. I'd say she just needs more time to wake back up."

Lucy watched the brunette check over some of the small machines. Eyeing her she couldn't help but ask. "Who are you...?"

Mom and Dad both stalled, looking at her quickly. "What?" Rita leaned in to cup her daughter's face. "Lucy you don't... You don't know her?" Lucy could only stared up her mother awkwardly, looking between her and the stranger in the room.

"Mom, stop. The last time she saw me, really saw me, I came up to her chin and had those thick glasses." The brunette spoke, looking stern. "She hasn't changed a day inside, we have."

Lucy stared, eyes widening in shock. "...Lisa?"

Lisa turned to the goth quietly before nodding. Lucy could feel her mouth open and close wordlessly as Lisa looked over the papers again. "She's been conscious for a few days now, only waking every once and awhile... the first few times she may not even remember. Its best if she tries to relax, instead of adding undue stress." Lisa sighed and put the papers back down to sit on the bed with her mother. "However there are some things we need to discuss... They can't wait, and even if we did it wouldn't help Lucy. In fact it's best to get it out of the way. I'm sure she's noticed anyway if the reaction she had just now was an indication..." Lisa rubbed the back of her neck wearily. "We can starve off more panic attacks if we just tell her the truth now."

The tension in the room suddenly raised. Lucy watched the parents before her look at each other nervously. "Lisa... I don't know if.. she's only been up a few hours..."

"Its for the best, mom." Lisa stared at the far wall as their mother stood again, going to sit at her husband's side and lean into him as he set an arm around her. The two held each other a moment before nodding in consent.

Now that Lucy could really see them in the light and was in a better position... She could tell. Dad's hair was completely grey, his bald spot had gotten bigger, and mom's hair was a different shade of blonde…

She was dying it.

Both were more aged, having a few more wrinkles and lines then when Lucy had last seen them...

She turned to Lisa quietly as the woman looked back, frown evident on her face, hands wringing. "Lucy theres no easy way to say this." Lisa spoke, taking a moment to glare at the floor before tightening her features. "You've... been in a coma for a while. About... eighteen years to be correct. You were in a car crash... and it left you paralyzed from the neck down." Lisa stared at her, giving Lucy a moment to digest this. "It wasn't a complete... It was a Level 4, ASIA B, incomplete severance at the C5-C6 Level so you'll have some sensory but-"

Car crash. Paralyzed. Neck down. Eighteen years... Lisa was still going into detail on her injuries and giving hard to understand scaling system results that Lucy couldn't understand... Whenever Lisa was stressed she tended to ramble.. Right now however Lucy didn't try to pay attention…

Car crash. Paralyzed. Neck down. Eighteen years…

 _Car crash. Paralyzed. Neck down. Eighteen years…_

 _ **Car crash. Paralyzed. Neck down. Eighteen years…**_

"Lucy." Lisa had stopped talking and was staring at her sister. "Lucy do you understand?" The girl however just stared at her vacantly, face blank and unresponsive to the news. "Lucy? Oh crap..." Lisa came closer and put a hand to Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy, are you there?"

"Honey...?" Their mother came back to the bed, using the washcloth on Lucy face once more. "Come on honey, its ok..."

Lucy swallowed as the two crowded around her. "I think she's in shock..." Lisa sighed.

"Well I suppose I would be to if someone just told me that..." Rita said softly, cupping Lucy's face with one hand and looking her daughter in the eyes. "Everything's ok Lucy... You want some time alone to think honey? Its ok if you do..." She rubbed Lucy's cheek. "You want to be alone and think about this?"

Lucy looked between the two, eyes wide before shaking her head, chin quivering a bit. Rita quickly sat down and pulled the limp girl to her. "Its ok... Everything's going to be ok... You're ok..."

Lucy kept shaking her head, rubbing her face against her mother's shoulder. She could feel pressure around her back and it took a few moments to realize her mother was hugging her tightly. A pair of hands started to draw through her hair softly.

Lisa's voice came from behind her, sounding nervous."You can still live a moderately normal life, what with SNP wheelchairs, possible future medical discovery-"

"Lisa, let give Lucy and your mom a moment." Dad spoke suddenly, and the hands in her hair paused their actions, before leaving her to her mother's embrace. Lucy could hear the door close before she pressed her face into Rita's shoulder with a dry sob.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Spotty8ee here! This is just the start of another Loud House story I'm writing, and while this story so far has been fun and interesting to write, via putting yourself into a different situation, I am not, nor have I ever been paralyzed. That being the case, I'll never truly understand how it feels or the difficulties people go through when they are paralyzed.**

 **The reason I bring this up is because I never want this story to be offensive or hurtful to people who are paralyzed, or to those who know/care for people in such situations. This story will take some twists and turns, exploring the emotions and trials of people with disabilities, and not everything will be 'inspirational'.**

 **I want to ask readers, especially those who are handicapped, to point out if I make something degrading, especially if it doesn't pertain to the story. There will be comments from characters that are hurtful, but they are not said in this story because they are factual statements, they are here because hurtful comments are something the disabled have to go through at one point or another, sadly. Moments/actions of reflective self loathing and sadness shouldn't be taken as my own thoughts on the disabled, but just experiences the characters go through.**

 **The main thing I'm trying to say is, this story will be sad, and I don't want anyone in a similar situation (similar in any way) to feel like I am trying to attack them, or put them down. I don't want to discourage any progress you've made or point out a lack thereof. This is just a writer imagining what it would be like if one were in such a situation and using a Loud House fanfiction to tell this exploration.**

 **Finally, the last thing I want to add, if anyone wants to share, or explain some things about being handicapped to me, I'm happy to hear it! Anything you can offer may help enhance the story or broaden my perspective to tell it better! While I did say this story would be sad, I don't intend it to be like that all the way. There will be good times, as a bumpy road can become paved.**

 **I dunno how often I'll update (I am writing a few other things right now) but I will make an effort! Thanks for reading!**

 **Spotty8ee**


	2. Reality's Gravity Ch2

**Hey guys! Just finished some stuff up, so here's a chapter to celebrate that! Same stuff as before applies, let me know if anything feels off. Admittedly some of the mechanics to keep Lucy alive might not be 'medically accurate', however since this story is placed in the future, I've taken some artistic liberty and used some future technology hoo haa. Nothing outlandish though.**

 **Anywho, please enjoy!**

* * *

Waking up this time was easier... However the position she woke in was a little uncomfortable and Lucy realized she couldn't move to fix that... She would never be able to. She shivered as she opened her eye, looking around the room again.

Still the bedroom, only the light was off and it was day now... However it likely wasn't as long a nap as the last few times had been. Rita was still there, holding her daughter in her sleep. It seemed they had both passed out at some point.

Since Lucy was still semi-seat, she looked around the room, however she couldn't really see around her mother and there was only the wall behind her. Looking down Lucy paused, slightly shocked to find that she and her mother seemed to be close to ...the same size?

Her legs were only a little ways shorter that Moms... While both were curled on the bed it was clear that Lucy was taller than she had been...

Oh yah, eighteen years, right... wait 18 + 8...

26.

Lucy was 26 years old now...

She really didn't feel it. It felt more like a week had past since her teacher had welcomed her class to third grade.

Still looking down at her feet Lucy tried to move one of them... She didn't sense them move at all... Seeing as how she knew she was paralyzed, Lucy couldn't help the depressing idea that she was an idiot for trying.

There was a creaking noise and Lucy paused, listening to a pair of footprints walking from the door towards them. Dad appeared above them, catching Lucy's eye before smiling. He held a finger to his lips before reaching around his wife and lifting Lucy into his arms with a slight grunt.

The world wobbled for a second as Mr Loud shifted her, putting her head to his shoulder and carrying her out of the room, all while Lucy looked around. The hallway had about four doors, the walls white and the floors carpeted in blue. They passed another bedroom that had only one bed in it was well, the next bedroom held a bigger, king sized bed and seemed much more lived in.

Mom and Dad's room then...

They didn't give her enough time to look around as her dad carried her into the next room, right into the living room she remembered waking in before. It was a small room, holding the aforementioned chair and couch. There was a china cabinet to one side, with a stylized painting of Buckingham palace over it.

Dad and his British appreciation.

Sitting on the couch was Lisa, watching the news quietly. She looked up as the two crossed before her, Mr Loud setting Lucy back into the chair. "There we go..." He grunted, standing up and cracking his back as he did so. Before leaving he arranged Lucy's arms and legs into a more comfortable position, put a blanket over her and left towards an a joining dinning room, going around the corner. "I'll get some lunch started... Lisa you have any preferences?"

"Mac N Cheese?" Lisa asked, not looking up from the news.

"Sounds good."

Lucy blinked as she looked around again, finding not much had changed in the room... She looked to the Tv quietly.

'-urrently on Mar's settlement Beta there is new news that the farming project has been delayed, after a tear in the settlement's air dome. Until repairs are made, the project has to be postponed.'

"I don't know how they're going to feed those people... you can only eat freeze dried raisins for so long." Lisa grumbled, glaring at the Tv. "If they had used the more expensive materials for the Dome, like we told them, this wouldn't be happening."

Lucy looked to her sister, surprised. "There're humans on Mars?"

Lisa looked at her in confusion, but it quickly melted away. "Oh, yes of course... Yes they've been there for about two years now. I was helping a bit with the set up, but I've since left that project." Lisa rolled her eyes. "The cheapskates. I swear they only had our team in case something went wrong and they could blame it on us."

Lucy cocked her head and frowned quietly. A lot more had changed than she thought... "Is Mac N Cheese different now?"

Lisa looked at her, laughing slightly. "Why fix what's not broken? Trust me its just as bad and just as cheap... However..." Lisa grimaced. "You won't be eating it."

Lucy blinked. "Why?"

Lisa looked surprised for a moment. "Uh, can you feel anything on your throat, under your chin?"

Lucy stared at her in confusion before trying to look down. Course she couldn't see her her neck, but with her chin pressing against it she could feel something something hard there. She looked back to her sister, a little alarmed.

"Relax. Its a neck plate port. You had a tracheotomy of sorts." Lisa explained. "Its sort of an extra entry way to your throat. You have a tube going down to your stomach and another for breathing." Lisa shrugged. "They can be closed, and they are now, but once the tubes are in place it will open them to bring food down to your stomach and/or used for respiration." She gestured to her own neck, two fingers placed side by side to indicate the holes. "Medical science has improved to the point where the ports aren't as big. They also are magnetically set so they only open for the 'correct tube'. Don't want to mix up the two ports." Lisa put her hands down. "Mom and Dad had it done so they could take care of you at home easier. You won't be able to swallow more than liquids from your mouth."

"Oh." Lucy let her head roll back and stared at the ceiling. Now that she knew it was there, she could feel the flesh stretch around plastic...

Hopefully it would go back to not being noticeable. Lucy watched the high ceiling light fan spin around lazily. It was weird to hear Lisa tell her that she would never be eating food the same way again... then again she wouldn't be doing much the same way as before...

Wait.

"W-what about..." Lucy twitched as she looked to Lisa, slightly embarrassed. "What about.. the other way...?"

Lisa stared back at her, eyes squinted before understanding dawned on her. "Oh, you mean the issue of toilet matters. You've had a colostomy and urostomy. All of your excretions go into a bag on your hip. Don't get flustered however. The process is actually very quick and easy. Un-clip the bag and re clip another one. Simple and clean." Lisa looked over her shoulder to the kitchen, listening for a moment before turning back. "Mom and Dad might have gone the 'diaper' route, seeing with how many kids they have had they shouldn't be perturbed by it. However given the... severity of your injuries these surgeries were required sooner or later."

Lucy craned her neck, trying to see the bag. It was more of a fanny pack looking thing now that Lucy noticed it. Not really noticeable, but knowing what it was for had Lucy wincing unenthusiastic.

"Its best to not think about it." Lisa agreed, sitting up a bit on the couch. There were a few moments of silence that was a little awkward. Lisa, it seemed, was being just a little tight lipped, there was a lot of stuff still off the table about this situation that Lisa and her parent's weren't telling her yet, Lucy knew it... Maybe they just wanted to let the news about her body sink in first, so as not to overwhelm her...

Looking at Lisa now... It was hard to see her four year old sister in there. At least in visuals, she was still as brainy , driven and stubborn as ever. Looking down Lucy could see she was in a hoodie that read 'Harvard University' 2027.

"You went to Harvard?" Lucy asked.

Lisa looked at her, checking her shirt before blushing. "Ah yes. Medical. I'm technically a Doctor. Although I'm working more sciences right now and am going for my third degree soon. I want to do some work in Robotics."

"Wow." Lucy wasn't surprised. Lisa was smart enough to do anything she wanted. She was teaching at the community college at the age of four. It was nice that Lisa was doing so well... But then... "What's everyone else been up to?"

Lisa looked to her hands. "Uh... well Lori was in the army for a bit. Leni was a seamstress in Paris... Luna's a famous rock star, Luan owns a Comedy Club in the city, Lola's a model, Lincoln does work as an event planner, and Lily's in college."

Wow. Lily in college. Lucy thought back to her memories of a drooling, cooing, happy baby. "Whats she going through for?"

"Art." Lisa stated. "She's a painter." The genius sunk into the couch with a scowl. "Course she went though a rather, rebellious tagging phase in high school. She was dragged home three times by police for doing Graffiti. Thankfully it was never permanent, she was smart enough to use spray paint that could wash off, but it was still an unwise decision in the first place." Lisa sighed. "I had move out before that started."

Lucy frowned when the baby in her mind transformed into a smoking, spray painting thug, trudged home in handcuffs to the Loud residence. Mmmmm... However that raised another question.

"Uh, where ... are we anyway?"

"Mom and Dad's place." Lisa explained. "Moved here about... three years ago."Lucy looked around once more as Lisa continued. "It's a condo of sorts near the edge of the city. Its a short drive to the hospital from here, that was a big selling point,and only fifteen minutes from the Casa Da Loud."

"Casa Da Loud?"

Lisa looked to her with a smirk. "When mom and dad bought this place, they sold our childhood home to Lincoln. Bobbi insist on dubbing the house that, even if he's not living there... Speaking of he and Lori are married now." Lisa changed the channel and lower the volume. "She's Lori Santiagos now."

That wasn't a surprise. "How long have they been married?"

"Ten years soon."

Hold on, ten years? Lori had just started dating Bobbi, if Lucy remember correctly, back before the accident. So that means they dated an extra eight years?! Why did it take so long? Lucy looked to the Brunette again "Why would they wait so long? Did Lori's career get in the way?"

Lisa froze, swallowing slightly the girl looked to her. "Uhh... Thats not important."

What? Lucy frowned as Lisa looked away to the kitchen. Why was she clamming up again? It wasn't that difficult a question. Looking to the side table's picture Lucy realized something.

"You never mention what Lana's up to... or Lynn..."

Lisa looked back at her, eyes wide. "W-well that is-"

"Foods On!" Mr Loud rounded the corner with a pot in his oven mitted hands. "Lisa could you go tell your mom that-"

"On it!" Lisa leaped up and ran to the back halls, leaving Lucy alone. The girl frowned...

Her dad set the pot down on a pot holder, and came into the living room. She watched as he came to pick her up again, her gut twisting in worry. Once she was in his arms she swallowed. "Dad...?"

"Mmhmm?" He said with a smile.

"Di-did something happen to Lana and Lynn?"

The man stopped mid walk, looking to daughter. "Why do you .. uh, ask?" He said, looking a little pale.

"Lisa told me about Luna being famous and Lola's modeling... but she didn't answer me when I ask why she left them out..." Lucy frowned.

The man breathed heavily, but carried her into the dining room, setting her in an armed chair. "Kiddo... I'm gonna be honest here... We aren't going to tell you everything... not right away at least..." Dad paused to watch Lucy's expression carefully. "I know that must be frustrating but Lisa told us that if you get overwhelmed... lets just say your body may not take too kindly to it. For now we want to let the..." He lifted her arm slightly before letting fall to her side. "situation... sink in. We don't want to stress you out, there for stressing your body out, too much at once..."

He walked over to a cabinet as Lucy thought this over. So something did happen to them... at least she knew that much. Were they in trouble with the law or something? As she thought about this Dad came back with a some objects. She watched him pull an IV stand from the corner of the room and sit in a chair next to her.

"Alright, Lucy... This will be a little different, but I'm gonna explain everything so try and hang on for me..." He held up a device in his hands, it looked like an electrical plug, but with tubes instead of prongs. "This is your... feeding tube."

"Lisa told me about it... kinda..." Her eyes darted down to the invisible neck port.

"Well, when we feed you, we hook this into the port, ones for food, the others for breathing. Now when the food plug is in, we need to put you on a respirator, as the feeding tube blocks off the airway. When that happens you not going to be able to talk... There will be no air going back and forth... It won't last more than thirty minutes, but we'll be here if you need anything. Just blink at us a lot or something."

Lucy swallowed tightly. "O-ok?"

"Alright, this shouldn't hurt a bit, but it might feel a bit odd..." Lucy watched as the tube came straight at her neck, twitching at the pressure of the port moving on her neck.

Lucy frowned. "Is it suppose to wiggle so mu-" The rest of her sentence was lost and Lucy puffed a bit when she realized she felt like a knotted balloon, with no where for the air to go... The feeling, thankfully, was short lived however as with a click another port opened and air flew out.

"Sorry honey, the respirator hole missed the jack... You breathing ok?" Dad asked, watching her face.

Lucy swallowed again, this time feeling something hard in her throat. Her breathing felt normal, but it was eerie how she felt no air movement in her nose and throat. Feeling nervous she looked to her dad, nodding the smallest way possible so as not to dislodge the tube.

She felt pressure on her leg somewhere as her dad most likely squeezed her knee. "That a' girl. Ok, I'm gonna set up your food, then we can have lunch, ok?" He turned to the Iv stand, but Lucy didn't go to watch, afraid she'd upset the tubes.

"Good afternoon..." Mom called as she and Lisa returned. The blonde spotted Lucy before smiling, walking to her side to kiss the side of her head. "Hey Lucy... How are you this morning?"

Lucy started to mouth a response before stopping mid movement. Right, no air, so no voice... Rita seemed to realize this to as she patted her daughter on the cheek. "Its ok, we can talk afterward..."

Lisa was sitting at the table, watching the transaction closely before grabbing a bowl and filling it with the Mac N Cheese from the pot. Once Rita takes her seat Lisa handed her the full bowel and started on another. "I'm going to do some more tests on Lucy tomorrow." Lisa said, as she spooned the noodles up and looked to the sister she was speaking of. "I think you'll have fully awoken by then and we can check for any side effects or previously undiscovered damages. For now, however ,I say we simply try and transition through the inevitable surprises that have and will crop up."

"Sounds good." Dad spoke, coming back around and accepting the bowel Lisa offered. Lucy watched him take his seat before tilting back slightly to look at the Iv the best she could without moving. She couldn't see much besides the black bag hanging on it...

As lunch went on Lucy realized she didn't feel very different. There was no disgusting feeling in her throat or movement, but she could tell it was working. The hunger that had just started inside had dissipated. She supposed so long as food went where food should go, it really didn't matter.

The food the rest of the family was having smelled good though... Apparently there was more to eating then filling your guts. Lucy had never experienced this strange feeling. Like she wasn't really eating anything, even though she knew she technically was... Without chewing or tasting anything it was a rather empty experience, not to mention her mind was abuzz with the two conflicting sensory information.

Rita paused her eating to watch her child stare at her. "Lucy are you ok?"

She nodded carefully, looking at the spoon her mom still had poised in the air. She heard shifting and looked back to Lisa standing from her place at the table, mouth still chewing as she pulled a spare spoon from the side of the pot . She dipped it inside , swishing it around before removing the spoon and tapping any noodles off of it. She then meandered around the table to Lucy's side, offering her the cheese gooey spoon.

Lucy stared between the two.

"Lisa, Lucy not suppose to-"

Lisa held her free hand up to pause her mother patiently before finishing her mouth full. "I know that, I'm the one that told you two. I said anything more than liquid. This is a Liquid." Lisa said, waggling the spoon before addressing Lucy again. "You'll need to wait before water can wash your mouth out, until the drips done, but this should keep those pesky physiological trick at bay." Lisa looked back to her parents. "Since she doesn't feel anything in her mouth, her brain doesn't think she's getting anything, even though her stomach is telling it that they are. I suggest gum for later on, but this will do for now."

Lisa toyed the spoon in front of Lucy's eyes until the girl took the spoon in her mouth. The taste of cheese flooded her mouth and Lisa shifted the spoon in her mouth so it took most of the sauce off as she pulled it back out. Lucy moved her tongue around, enjoying the flavor as the nagging feeling her brain had bothered her with left as well.

"Easy peasy." Lisa said, sitting back to her food.

"We'll pick up some gum later, ok?" Rita spoke, reaching to Lucy's seat and stroking her cheek again. Lucy just looked to her and nodded again, sucking on her own tongue.

After Lunch was done and Lucy was disconnected from her tube they had retired to the living room again. Dad once more carried her to the room, depositing her on the couch end this time. He arranged her once more before blanketing her and going to help his wife clean up.

Lucy looked to the turned off Tv helplessly. Unsure of what to do with herself... Lisa had gone to take a shower. Mom and Dad were busy. If she were able to, she would have turned on the Tv but her useless arms were still. Looking around Lucy searched for something to keep her busy when her eyes spied something she hadn't seen before in the room, due to the angle of the chair.

A first she wasn't sure. However the blinking figure proved that it was indeed a mirror. She was shocked that the person she saw in the reflective surface wasn't her. At least, not anymore. She did, however, know that she had seen them somewhere before. Looking up to her parents wedding photo she realized why.

She looked just like her mom.

She was wearing some sweat pants and a blue t shirt. To be fair her parent's had never really understood her interest in Gothic clothing. (Not that they tried to stop her interests) She doubted they could tell the difference between what she liked and what she didn't. What really took her by shock, though, was something else.

Lisa stumbled into the room, drying her hair lazily before she spotted her sister and came to her. She studied the shocked look on Lucy's face before looking to the mirror. "What?" Lisa asked, uncertainly. "Whats wrong?"

"M-my hair... its blonde again!"

Lisa gocked, looking between the real Lucy and her reflection before coming to realize what she was saying. "Oh! Ooohhh! Right, you use to dye it, didn't you?" Lisa started to think a moment. "I think it all grew out after only three years... you've been blonde for so long I forgot!"

"I look... like mom..." Lucy said slowly, eyes blinking at the sight. Lucy watched Lisa look at her reflection, then to the same picture Lucy had compared to. Lisa pursed her lips, slightly surprised.

"Well yes, more than anyone else in the family now that I think of it." Lisa cocked her head. "I never noticed!"

Lucy stared at the stranger before her. Hair golden and throat pierced with plastic. She exhaled shakily as her chin quivered again. Lisa gripped her shoulder to take her attention. "Why don't we watch some Tv?" Lisa asked, taking position between Lucy and the mirror. Lucy looked her sister in the eye, finding comfort in their steady but tired gaze. She hiccuped softly before looking to her lap, feeling oddly guilty for some reason...

"Ok..."

She vaguely felt Lisa squeeze her shoulder before the tv turned on. Lisa changed to a scientific discovery channel that had a show about bees on, Lisa was only half watching it as Lucy noticed. She was mostly positioning herself to cover the mirror.

Their parents arrived, sitting in the empty seats to watch the show with them. Lucy wasn't paying attention. As interesting as bees could be, she wasn't in the mood. She looked to her parents quietly before coughing, catching her attention.

"So, you guys still working?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, well I'm still working at the office... I got promoted actually!" Mr Loud said proudly. His wife gave him a bemused .

"I quit working at the dental offices a few months... after. I'm a writer now. Some of my books are on tape if you want to hear them." Ms Loud explained. "Most of them are children's books though, so I don't know if you want to. You were above the average reading level for your age, if I recall."

Lucy looked down at her hands... Thats right. No nerve connection meant no holding books. Only listening to them on tape. She wouldn't feel the light but connecting weight or the soft, smooth texture of paper. There would be no dusty smelling musk or ribbon place holders...

That was actually more depressing than the hair...

The day was spent quietly watching Tv, with her parents trying to avoid the news channels for the time being. It seemed something things never change however, as commercials showed the usual brands, along with some new, and Lisa would talk over them about the downside of the products.

However, things couldn't be more different. The house was too quiet. Without the ability to move ones limbs there was nothing to do, the day was so long... Her parents were actually home for once, and she was getting most of their attention, both of them, at the same time. She wasn't use to it, or the fact that Lisa was giving her attention as well. Yet there were times when they talked about her like she wasn't there. Like making a decision of when to take her to bed, as she'd likely be tired. At one point her father asked if Lucy maybe tired around eight. Lucy hadn't known he had asked Lisa, because she responded that she was tired more often than not now, so it'd be likely. Her parents had jumped in surprise, forgetting she was now awake and consultive. Then again after eighteen years of living with a hollow shell, it was likely a hard thought process to break.

It was around nine pm when her dad carried her into the bedroom. Only this time he arranged the pillows so she was on her side. Looking up at him she frowned. "Why am I laying like this?"

"Its to stop any bedsores Lucy. Keeping a different position helps keep blood circulating." He said this as he pulled up a before unseen padded arm on the bed. "This guy will keep you from falling off the bed in your sleep. Gravity can be a tricky mistress when your laying like this." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight honey."

"Goodnight dad..."Lucy said, watching the man smile at her. He made his way to the doorway slipping out as his wife slipped in. The blonde came in and headed to her daughter's bed.

"Lucy I just need to change your bag." Rita said as opened a side drawer near the bed.

Lucy blinked, trying to lift her head up to see what she was looking for, but found she could only get it so far up. Whatever Rita needed she found relatively quickly. Lucy didn't get a good look at whatever it was, but she shivered when her mother shifted her shirt and she heard a zipper working.

What?...Oh...oh no...

Lucy's face burned in embarrassment as her mother set about changing her colostomy bag. There was no smell or strange feeling, but she could feel a bit of pressure and pulling. She pressed her face into her pillow as tightly as she could, swallowing tightly. She felt guilty all over again... as horrible as this was for her, it was likely more troublesome for her mother... and she had been doing this for eighteen years.

"There we go. All done.." Her mother said with a smile. Lucy looked at her when the women cleaned her hands off with some antibacterial. She returned to pull the blanket back up over her daughter.

Lucy licked her lips quietly before she shivered. "M..Mom..." The older woman paused to kneel down in front of her daughter, looking her in the eyes. "Ummm... I'm sorry... thanks for...ummm-"

"Lucy, honey. Don't." Her mother leaned in so they were nose to nose. "Just don't, ok? You have nothing to apologize for." Lucy looked back down to her pillow in contemplation before her mom took her cheek in hand and made her look into the woman's eyes. Lucy swallowed slightly when she realized her mother wanted a response...

"Ok..."

Her mother watched her closely for a moment before smiling softly, moving in to give her a few Eskimo kisses that made Lucy release a few giggles. For a moment, she felt like nothing had changed. Everything that had happened was a dream or a story idea she dealt too deeply into.

"Don't worry about this honey. I've changed diapers for eleven children, at least three years each. This is nothing."

Lucy looked up at her mother as the woman pulled the blanket over her again, kissing the side of her temple. "Good night honey..."

"Night mom."

The two shared a smiled again before Rita, with some difficulty to Lucy's dismay, got back to her feet. Groaning a little the woman sighed. "Oh I am not getting any younger..." She stretched slightly, cracking a few bones before she left for the door, paused to turn off the light. There were a few moments as she watched Lucy in the doorway before she left.

Lucy lay quietly in bed, listing to the sounds of the other members of the house going to bed. Soon enough the hall light shut off and Lucy found herself alone in the dark. She turned her head slightly, thinking.

She had just gotten a taste of her brand new life and so far... hmmm... Then again it was just the first day. There was still a chance things could get a little better... Lisa had mentioned something about a chair before...

Lucy turned her head closer to the pillow thoughtfully until she felt her body shifting under gravity. Lucy released a squeak as her body flopped forward into the bumper, her face pushed up against the meshing. There was a moment of silence as she tried to assess herself... Breathing fine... everything feels ok... She scowls a bit at the discomfort her face was in, forgetting for a moment and tried to fix her arrangement. When nothing changed Lucy froze, shivering slightly before starting to heave a heavy sob...

* * *

The night passed slowly. Between crying, the quiet, some dark contemplation and a few rare instances of actual sleep, Lucy watched night turned to day...

Not as near rested as yesterday Lucy listened to the sounds of her family waking up. Floor boards creaked as the plumbing shook to life, sleepy stumbling and the sound of the front door clanging. Lucy lay, face still a little smooshed and waited for someone to come find her, eyes red and likely a red imprint of the bumper's meshy middle made into her cheek.

Then again what if they didn't come for a while?

Growing up in the Loud house made attention a rare commodity. The older children needed constant guidance so they wouldn't screw up too badly... like going to parties or drinking underage. The younger needed care as they weren't very good at doing things themselves, things like making food, getting dressed, making sure they were washed up, ect.

That usually left the ones in the middle of the family without much. Not to say they got none, or that the older sibling wouldn't offer their attention, but it was, what felt like, the leftovers of whatever they had left to give. The middle kids, Lynn, Lincoln and Lucy, all dealt with this in different ways.

Lynn got all the attention she needed from sports. Being good at them was a side effect of enjoying the comrodery of her team mates, and the praise of the coach and fans. She had played sports since before Lucy was born, so maybe she didn't even notice the lack of attention at home too much...

Lincoln was a social kid. He had a group of friends around him from a very early age. However they couldn't be around constantly and being the only boy tended to make things even harder at home. So he liked to plan and make crazy schemes, getting attention for a job well done, or for botching something entirely.

Lucy was an introvert. In a house of extroverts. Save for Lisa she may have had the smallest circle of friends in the house. Haiku was the first to deeply share her interest of the macabre and the first the she actively tried to hang out with. Sure she was a bit older, sure Haiku would smoke on occasion, sure Haiku had lent her some books her mother wouldn't let her read. (whatever a harem was... or whatever was wrong with a book about a lot of gray stuff...). Haiku was the first close friend Lucy had made...

Only she couldn't depend on Haiku for everything. At home she stayed to herself, finding it fruitless to try and get attention. No one wanted to read her poems, no one wanted to talk about the works of Edgar Allen Poe... Sure she wasn't a boy but sometimes Lucy wondered if she could have been born a random shambling mass of incoherent shapes and still fit in better, if she was as upbeat as the others.

Only now that she was unable to even get out of bed on her own, Lucy wondered if those practices had changed while she was gone. A kid who would just stay in one place no matter what probably made her parent's lives much easier, after all they could just leave her in here for a few more hours if they wanted to... nothing to stop them...

Lucy blinked when her door pushed open, Lisa walking in and rubbing her eye's. "Uhhh... good morning... Mom's just getting the-" The brunette yawned as she looked up, jerking when she finally got a good look at her sister. "Oh! Hold on!" She scrambled over, rolling Lucy back to a more comfortable position before looking her over. "Gah... how long were you like that?!" Lisa frowned as she ran her hand over Lucy's cheek ,to feel the divets in her skin.

"ummm... A little after mom left last night?" Lucy mumbled.

"You've been like that all night?!" Lisa frowned as she lifted Lucy's shirt a bit to inspect her before sighing. "I don't see any pressure sores or bruises... Mom will have to look in a minute..." Lisa scratched her head before grunting. "Why didn't you call one of us?"

Lucy bit her lip. In all fairness, she hadn't thought to do it... then again if she had she may have been a little embarrassed to need to get help over something so small... It was easier to just endure the mild annoyance than call for help because she had 'rolled over' and couldn't roll back. Then again, she was at the far end of the hall... "How would anyone have heard me?" Lucy asked, slightly snarky.

Lisa seemed to think this over before looking a little guilty. "I suppose that is true...Sorry, I'll have talk to mom about that later..." Lucy looked away, her slight anger melting away in the face of Lisa's apology... it wasn't really fair to get angry with her. Lisa seemed to brush her sister's behavior aside however, as she sat in one of the chairs still inside the room to look her sister in the eyes again. "Ok... so that aside. We need to talk about whats about to happen now."

Lucy looked back at her, surprised. "What?"

Lisa seemed a little uncomfortable for a moment. "Well, its time to give you a... bath. Moms gonna give you a bath... yes..."

Lucy blinked. "Ok."

Lisa looked at her oddly. "Ok?" She seemed to grapple for a moment. "Wh- what do you mean ok? Isn't that a little... awkward? Bathing with some one else in the room?"

Lucy cocked her head in confusion. "Whenever I took a bath alone people came in all the time for stuff, sometimes mom was checking on me. I mean, I was sharing with Lola and Lana till I was five... Lincoln until I was three. I think you and I even shared a bath once or twice. Its not really that odd to me. Why?"

Lisa blinked for a second before she slapped her forehead in her hand. "Oh, that's right! Stupid..." Lisa pointed to her, now red, forehead quickly. "I forgot. Your still eight up here. I was expecting the reaction of someone a bit older..."

Lucy knew what Lisa was talking about. When she was seven she had once just pushed open the bathroom door without knocking to get her squirt gun from under the sink (very useful for making realistic blood gushing during a pretend game of 'Violent Ways To Die'). Lincoln, who had been taking a bath, wigged out until Lucy was bodily dragged out by her mom, who was ushering apologies as she shut the door. The woman had to explain that, at a certain age, people wanted privacy in the bathroom. Lincoln was just at that age. Heck she had started to get it at eight herself.

The door squeaked open again returning Lucy from her reprieve. Mom had just come into the room, shaking her hands dry. She paused to smile at her kids softly. "Ok, water's ready." She made her way to Lucy bedside, pausing when she spotted Lucy's face. "Oh honey, what happened?"

"She slept most of the night rolled into the side arm." Lisa frowned as she gestured down to her sister. "Although 'slept' may not be the right word."

"Oh, I'm sorry sweety. We'll make sure that doesn't happen again, ok?" Rita said, stroking her daughter's cheek. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy took a quick assessment. "I'm a little sore, but otherwise I'm ok..."

"Well maybe a nice warm bath will make you feel better, huh?" Rita suggested, as she shifted her arms under Lucy's body and lifted her off the bed with a grunt. "Ough!"

"Uhhhh..." Lucy looked around nervously as her mother carried her out the door. "Are you ok? Where's dad?"

"Work. He called in sick yesterday to help keep an eye on you, but they needed him for a meeting." Rita huffed slightly, looking to her daughter in amusement. "What? You think I can't carry you? Your nothing compared to your father, I've been catching him in my arms for the last 40 years." She winked to Lucy. "He really needs to stop watching those horror movie trailers."

Lucy smiled as her mom pushed open the bathroom door, setting her down on a chair inside. As Rita went to pull off Lucy's socks the goth looked around. It was a large bath room with one of those walk in tubs, a granite counter with a double sink and lots of storage space around it, with a large mirror resting above. It was quiet the bathroom...

Getting undressed and into the tub was actually quiet simple, if not just a little awkward and embarrassing. However once Lucy was in she almost melted. The warm water was very comforting and was quickly soothing her nerves. She could feel her mother lifting an arm out of the water to wipe a wash cloth over it.

"Feeling better honey?" Rita asked with a smile as she watched Lucy sigh contently. She nodded, tilting her head slightly as her mother finished with the arm and moved to the next. All was calm for the moment. Until a burnt smell wafted into the air. Rita paused, sniffing as Lucy blinked in confusion. Her mom set Lucy's leg down and turned to the doorway quickly. "Lisa? Lisa, your not trying to cook anything out there are you?" She frowned, waiting a moment until there was a timid response.

"Ummm...Maybe...?"

"Lisa, you and I both know you can't cook worth a darn." Rita said, turning to the door completely and using the counter to get up to her feet.

"Mother, I can do basic chemistry, that's all cooking is-"

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP-

Rita sighed as the fire alarm went off. She started for the door swiftly. "I'll be right back Lucy, I just need to make sure thats all smoke..." She grunted, leaving the girl in the tub.

Lucy looked around again ideally. Trying to ignore the annoying beeping. So far, this was nice. She was enjoying the warmth of the bath... however being constantly bathed by others may start to get old after a bit,especially if she couldn't have a bath when she wanted one... but it wasn't like this was as horrible as Lisa thought it would be for her...

Twisting slightly Lucy looked up at the tiling in the shower, looking at the designs imprinted on them for momentary entertainment, when she froze. She could feel, if not more easily with her upper body, that she was... slipping down slightly into the tub. Lucy looked down at the water , eyes wide before trying to adjust herself subconsciously. When she realized there was no way to stop what was happening she started to panic.

Ohno! Oh no! Oh NO!

Lucy whimpered loudly when the water started to reach her chin. Shaking slightly she reach desperate measures. "M-Mom!" Lucy shouted. She slipped deeper, forcing her to tilt her head back frantically. "Mom, help!"

"What?" Rita responded, Lucy making out the distorted sounds of her foot print as her ears submerged. Lucy sobbed when she slipped deep enough for the water to slip up over the edges of her jaw bone. What was she suppose to do?! She couldn't move! She was gonna die, drowning in a bathtub! Lucy then felt someone snatched her under her arms and pulled her up.

"Lucy!" Her mother gasped as she pulled Lucy back up. "Oh sweetie are you ok?!"

Lucy shuttered as her mother rubbed her face softly... Rita pulled her daughter to the edge of the tub in order to tilt Lucy's head into the crook of her neck as the girl stared to cry softly. "Oh, honey I'm so sorry! Normally I have a chin support, but I didn't want you to be uncomfortable and I wasn't suppose to even be gone that long and... and..." Rita shivered herself and held her girl tighter. "Oh god that's no excuse... after we just got you back, I almost..." Rita chocked slight on a sob. " I almost..."

Lisa stood in the doorway behind them, watching them and rubbing her hands nervously...

So much for not being such a horrible experience...

* * *

Lucy shuttered as she sat on the couch, properly dried and clothed again, her mother practically curled around her as an old horror movie play on Tv. Shakie hands ran through her hair quietly and just out the corner of her eye, Lucy could see Lisa sitting in the chair. Blocking the mirror again, granted, but that didn't seem to be the goal this time. The brunette was only pretending to watch the movie like the others. She would look over at them nervously before shifting back to the TV, hands tapping together.

Lucy, while shaken from the experience, found herself numb as reality crashed down around her... The incident in the tub had been a wake up call. She thought her new life had sunken in around her, but in truth she hadn't even scratched the surface... Holding books... Eating... The colostomy bags... They came nowhere close to what had just happened.

She could have died... She could have died from something so stupid as being left alone in a bathtub... That was something that happened to babies, or old people who slipped. She looked down at her body quietly and unnoticed by the others. What else could happen that these stupid, worthless arms couldn't stop? What was next? Choking on her own throw up? Suffocating in a pillow?

Lucy just felt cold inside as the horrible thoughts kept coming... The rest of the world was miles away as she could feel herself sinking deeper and deeper into an unfeeling, depressed mess of a human being... So she more heard her stomach grumble than felt, and thankfully her mother did to...

Rita shifted slightly to look at her wrist watch before mumbling and wiping at her eyes. "Oh my... I hadn't noticed what time it was.. Are you hungry Lucy? I can set up your food here in the living room..." She stroked Lucy's hair again. "So you can keep watching your movie."

It only just occurred to Lucy that her family had put this movie on for her... She looked to the screen again and realized it was actually 'The Watcher In The Woods', a movie her dad picked up a long time ago at the video store, in a tired after work haze because it was in the Disney section.

Only she and Lincoln had watched it. The older girls were at friends, the Twins and Lisa were in bed and Lynn had fallen asleep on the couch before the previews were over because of a prior soccer tournament. Lucy had only been four but she had been captured by the dark/spooky themes of the movie and cinematography.

Lincoln had had nightmares afterward for weeks, so mom and dad banned the movie from the house.

She had wanted to see it again, she asked every time movie night rolled around but it was usually outvoted or outright denied...

She looked back at her worried mother wearily. She didn't really feel like watching this right now... she didn't feeling like doing anything right now... but...

"Ok." She said bland, empty tone, that had her mother pause before patting her head softly and wondering to the kitchen. Lucy looked back at the tv as the mirror scene came on, the duplicate Karen reflections softly begging for help from Jan, who looked around in horror.

In the movie, Karen was trapped in some other dimension, where she hadn't aged in the long time she had disappeared, all she could do was beg, trapped and helpless... Lucy felt a lump form in her throat that she quickly swallowed away.

Faintly Lucy sensed, through her dulled nerves, the couch dip as Lisa joined her. Her nerdy younger sister was looking her over as the movie continued...

"Are you breathing ok?" Lisa asked suddenly.

Lucy kept staring at the tv. "Yes."

"Do feel any moisture in your lungs?" Lisa asked again.

"No."

Lisa paused to lean forward, brushing hair from Lucy's eyes. They fluttered slightly as the strands brush a little too close, but otherwise Lucy didn't acknowledge her sister's actions. She could feel Lisa looking into her eyes before she dared to look at her slightly. Lisa was frowning, looking concerned...

"Are you... feeling alright?"

Lucy stared at her before slowly letting her eyes lull back to the Tv screen blankly... She sighed silently before responding.

" 'm fine..."

Lisa was quiet. Lucy wasn't really watching the movie at all... She just didn't want to talk to anyone... Once mom came in with the port... food... thing, she'd have an excuse. Then again she could just ignore Lisa if she wanted to, why should she have to answer? Its not like it mattered. Its not like anything mattered...

Lisa hadn't stopped looking at the side of her face attentively. Was she looking for any odd breathing or something? When Lisa suddenly stood and strode slowly past her vision of the tv, giving her a view of Lisa hoodie for a few moments, Lucy could feel her sisters gaze locked on her face the entire way. Even when Lisa was past her and on her way to the kitchen, Lucy could feel her unwavering gaze until she slipped out of the room.

She was alone. Good... She didn't want to be around people for a few minutes. She let her head slump to a shoulder as she swallowed tightly, feeling throat muscles shift around her port at the angle... Ugh... there was no escape.

There never will be...

Lucy perked when she heard voices talking quietly in the kitchen. Shifting her head a bit to hear them better over the Tv.

"-she's started to get effected by the situation. Its wearing on her..."

"Well how do you mean, Lisa?"

"Remember after the accident? How Lynn and Lori were? I think were seeing it here now-"

"So soon?! She's only been awake a few days and-"

"And this is a more serious blow then what resulted before... We need to nip this in the proverbial bud, before she gets worse."

"She's allowed to feel depressed about this, isn't she Lisa?"

"Depressed yes, losing the will to live no... I looked in her eyes mom, she's empty. She's all glassy and dark lit, not really connecting..." There was a scuffling. "Mom its been proven that when people lose the will to live, to keep going, to trying to connect to reality they tend to... well, die faster..."

There was a moment of silence... Then a soft sob. "Oh god... this is my fault... If I hadn't..."

"Mom, listen. I know your feeling bad about that but we need to keep moving forward. You made a big mistake but you learned from it and it won't happen again-"

"What if theres no way to- to fix this... what if she gets worse... What if she-"

Lucy flinched at the sound of her mother crying softly as Lisa tried to console her, turning back to the Tv in hopes that the sound would drown it out if she focused on it... She felt guilty that mom felt like this... but the emotion was a dull throb more than anything...

Letting her gaze lower to the carpet she sighed, closing her eyes. She was so tired... still tired... Course she hadn't slept much last night but it seemed like that was all she wanted now was to sleep... So why shouldn't she? Not like it mattered...

As she drifted off Lucy heard her sister speak from the other room.

"-one thing we can do..."

* * *

It was a short nap. Interrupted only momentarily by her mother hooking up her feeding tube. From there it was in and out with the goings ons around her. Mom removing the tube, the couch dipping as some one sat down, mom humming softly as she stroked Lucy's hair.

It was likely just a two hour nap, but when she did come around both mom and Lisa were missing from the room, and the Tv was on, showing a cartoon of some kind with the volume low... Focusing on the screen Lucy snorted in disbelief.

They were STILL making Sponge-bob cartoons? Really?

Not really a fan she looked around the room to see if she could figure out where the others could be, or what time it was..

What caught her attention, however, was something hovering over the side table closest to her. It was a spider, descending from the ceiling silently by a thin web. She watched it slowly land on the table, scuttling around for a moment...

Lucy wasn't fond of spiders. Not to say she hated them, or went out of her way to kill them, she wasn't Leni bad. After all the vents at the old house were stuffed with them, as if they knew Leni would kill them on site and choose never to leave. So Lucy had learned to tolerate them. Leave them alone, they leave you alone... She just didn't want them on her.

Sadly it seemed this spider was not of the same thinking, as it soon was climbing up her arm, heading to her head! Lucy watched in a slight panic as the arachnid got closer and closer to her face. She couldn't shake it off or bat it away! What was she gonna do?! She desperately tried to blow it off, huffing and puffing.

The spider paused mid elbow, curling its legs and freezing when the warm air hit it. However it was for only a few seconds before it soldiered on, tracking a path to her shoulder. Lucy tried harder but the spider seemed only encouraged by this, moving faster.

No! Nononononononono!

Lucy jerked her head back, panting as the spider reached her shoulder, still making its way to her face. It was so close now she could make out all eight of its black eyes glinting back at her. Lucy whimpered.

No don't start crying, don't start crying! DON"T START- dammit...

Shaking Lucy whined as the spider started to scramble onto her chin, when there was a flash of white and the spider was gone. Lucy blinked before a white cat... Crag, thats it, walked back over the edge of the back of the couch and hopped in her lap. The cat held a few twitching legs in his mouth before he ate the spider in a few crunches. After cleaning a paw Crag looked to her.

Lucy whined and flopped her head back on the couch, feeling the cat give her salty, wet cheeks a few licks with his bristled tongue. Oh god that was horrifying... She'd never bug Leni about her arachnophobia again... She turned her head into the couch and tried to rub her face clean on the surface behind her... it wasn't working very well.

First the bath and now she couldn't even stop a spider...

Look at yourself Lucy. Look what you've become. Her eyes darted to the mirror on the wall on the side of the room. The younger version of her mother looked back, dead eyes red and teary, a port in her throat and a cat in her lap. Lucy moaned and looked back down miserably...

Crag tried to look her in the eye, but when he got no response he rubbed his cheek on Lucy's, purring loudly. Turning to the hand in her lap he rubbed his head on it to, nibbling it a bit and nudging his head under it slightly to try and get her to pet him. When nothing happened he pulled back and meowed loudly, batting her hand with his paw.

"I can't Crag..." Lucy sighed quietly. The cat looked her directly in the eyes now, meowing again and continuing to pad her listless hand. "Crag-" She stalled when the cat meowed louder and inexplicably Lucy found her core hot with rage and ..

"I CAN'T!"

The cat ran to the other end of the couch, looking over its shoulder at her with wide frightened eyes before it hopped over the edge and took off...

Lucy's stomach was still tightly coiled in anger, her eyes darted to the mirror again. The blonde stranger stared back furiously, mouth tight and thin. Her eyes were still dark and narrowed into a glare, still red and teary , but they weren't dead looking anymore... Light glinted

However as the anger faded so did it, and Lucy found the figure before her melt back into a cold, pitiful girl...

"Lucy? Did you shout in here honey?" She turned back as her mother came in from the back hall. "I thought I heard-" Mom rounded the couch and froze, hand quickly cradling the side of her face carefully. "Oh honey! Whats wrong?!" When Lucy didn't respond to her Rita knelt, putting hand to her shoulder. "Lucy? Whats wrong, What happened?"

Lucy shivered as she took a deep breath and softly whined. "Everything... Everythings wrong..."

Rita simply pulled Lucy into a tight hug, letting her daughter nuzzle into her shoulder. As she stroked Lucy's hair the woman sighed and curled around her...

DINGDONG

Rita pulled back, looking over the end of the couch as Lisa scurried through the room and into the kitchen. The woman smiled before looking Lucy in the eyes again. "Lucy honey, we have a little surprise for you... Were hoping it might cheer you up..."

Good luck with that.

Lucy watched Rita rise and make her way to the kitchen as well... There was a scuffling as the door opened and voices muffled before it shut again... Rita came to the archway of the kitchen and leaned there, watching the kitchen with apprehension, glancing to Lucy every now and then.

Where was Lisa? Who was at the door? A delivery guy or something? There was a good ten minutes where Rita stood in silence and Lucy found herself growing board of the situation again, before the kitchen door opened once more... Rita looked up again and straightened, smiling sadly to the people in the kitchen before making her way back to Lucy. She stood before her, blocking her view a little before smiling down at her in a small, worried fashion.

"Look who came to see you honey."

Her mom moved out of the way and Lucy watched the stranger come out of the kitchen, flanked by Lisa. Only she could tell who this was far easier than it had been with Lisa before. The figure paused to stare at her, eyes wide and chin quivering slightly before they crossed the threshold and pulled her into their arms.

"Lucy..."

"Lincoln?"


	3. The Brother Ch3

Lincoln had changed... over the long years she had been gone he had changed... No longer was he the dorky but lovable kid down the hall in the linen closet. He was... he was...

He was all grown up.

Her brother now towered over their mum by nearly a foot, sporting a muscled, lithe figure. He looked more like their mother in appearances but not enough to be almost a clone like Lucy was. His hair was still white and his freckles still there, but it was so odd to see those features on any one other than kid Lincoln and Pop Pop.

Right now he had her held tightly to him, holding her in his arms and shaking slightly as he took a moment to collect himself. Lucy tilted her head to his in an effort to supply comfort, which seem to work as he pressed his head back against her's.

It was nice.

Linc wheezed into her shoulder as he whimpered softly. "I missed you so much..." Lincoln whimpered. "SO so much..."

There was a painful feeling in Lucy's chest before she was hit with a flood of emotions. Everything she had squashed down all day rose to the surface and the numb feeling gave way to a tidal wave of fear, despair and pain. Yet she also could tell she was happy. Happy Lincoln was here. Perhaps in some subconscious part of her concussion, she had missed him to.

The feelings became too much and Lucy found herself crying into Lincoln shoulder and snuggling closer. Lincoln in turn held her even tighter, rocking back and forth in a gentle motion, hushing softly into her ear. Mom quickly sat behind them, joining the hug and putting her arms around them in support. Wrapped so tightly in her family's arms had Lucy's crying turn to wails.

It felt good to cry and it felt good having them here.

Lucy was confused by the conflicting emotions she felt and her complete 180 in mood. Everything just felt so complected, which had her wailing harder... Feeling Lisa's hands start threading through her hair softly had her take a shuttering breath.

Slowly the pain receded, and the tears along with it. However her insides still felt like a storm of emotions. Mom and Lincoln both pulled back once she had settled to sniffling softly, Lincoln holding her shoulder in one hand. He was wiping her face off for her with a tissue from the side table as mom hovered nearby, worriedly.

"Lisa, you don't think this is too much, do you?" She asked softly to her daughter, who was now sitting in the chair. Lisa looked to Lucy with a thoughtful and concerned face, until Lincoln took her cheek in his tissued hand.

"Hey, your OK for now, right Lucy?" Lincoln said warmly, using his thumb to wipe a stay tear away. "You've gotten some of that hurt out now, huh."

Lucy stared at him, snuffling a bit. She could clearly make out the tear marks trickling down Lincoln's face and his red eyes. He was still struggling to keep his face in this calm, neutral smile. So Lucy swallowed tightly before giving him a small, quivering, genuine smile.

He patted her cheek appreciatively and finished wiping her face down. "Lets settle down for a second and let me show you what a brought for you." He said, pulling a plastic shopping bag up off the floor.

"You brought me something?" Lucy asked, watching her brother reach inside in confusion.

"Yah! Course I did, think of it as a welcome back gift..." He grinned as he pulled out a box and Lucy stared wide eyed at the offering.

Black hair dye.

* * *

Lincoln had carried Lucy back into the bath with their mom, who pulled out a chair from the closet and set it up on the edge of the bath. Apparently they sometimes just need to wash her hair and could do so by setting up a shampoo chair, which held her hair out over the tub. Once she was set mom left them alone to their work, though she would nervously pass by the open doorway from time to time.

Lucy watched Lincoln mixed the paste up before her leaned over her, running his hands through her hair and starting to section it off. Lucy watched him do so and blinked when her pulled her bang free and clipped them up. "You sure you know what your doing?"

Lincoln looked down at her before smirking. "Of course, you seem to forget who helped you when you first did it."

"I was five and we destroyed the bathroom, along with some of moms good towels." Lucy deadpanned.

"True, but the times afterward were better. Not to mention I helped Lily dye her hair a lot." Lincoln said, finishing his sorting and starting to set the brush up.

"Lily dyed her hair? Did she embrace the darkness as well at some point?" Lucy asked, wondering if those few moments she had spent sharing her loves with Lily had had an effect.

"No, but she went pretty crazy with every color there is." Lincoln spoke. "Black and hot pink, silver, green, puke green, red and green, blue with white, rainbow, black and yellow-" Lincoln started to apply the dye, both their noses wrinkling at the smell. "She went through an ocean phase where she made her hair a big mix of blues and used fish clips in it. Had starfish earrings to and a head band with a shark fin... It was really cool actually."

"When was that?"

"Uh, last year of high school... she did a victory lap." Lincoln said, applying the dye over her blonde hair. "I had to help her with it cause it was so much work."

"She went to your house to dye her hair?" Lucy asked in surprise.

"Lucy, she lives in my house. I bought our old house and she wanted to stay there. I didn't have any trouble with it and she's a big help most of the time now." Lincoln smiled as he started on another tress. "Course I do wish she'd stop painting all over the house. It drives me up the wall to have to keep steam cleaning everything, but she's really good at it, so what can I say."

Lucy watched Lincoln work for a few more moments, chewing on her lip before speaking. "Lisa said Lily used to do some tagging-"

"Oh that." Lincoln frowned with a thoughtful look. "She was going through some stuff... A lot of us were moving out of the house and leaving her behind. At that point it was basically just you and me left, and you were out of it. She went through a phase where she wanted attention and she wanted independence at the same time, so it was hard to know how to respond. She's good now though, college has helped keep her busy."

Lucy watched Lincoln continue to work, finishing up with dying all the pieces and started to cover her hair so they could wait for the dye to take effect. "Lisa also said you were an event planner?"

Lincoln blinked down at her before smirking. "Yeah, I work for a big time event company. I started just washing dishes and doing grunt work, but when the bosses saw how good I was at organization, you know me, man with a plan, and they promoted me. Even sent me to school for it, so long as I paid for half." Lincoln smiled. "I'm actually their number one planner, I do all the state dinners and big budget things."

"I didn't think you'd get into that."

"Yeah, it kinda fell my lap, but I'm pretty lucky it did and I do love doing it." Lincoln said. "Lots of long hours though and even when your home ,you can get a last minute change of plans that has you running for the office."

"What do you mean lucky?" Lucy asked.

"Hmm?"

"Lucky. You said you were lucky you got that job." Lucy frowned. "If I remember correctly, you had really good grades... not counting that one time that substitute distracted you."

"Well, I didn't get a chance to go to college when I was younger, not with having a baby, ya know-"

"YOUR A DAD!?" Lucy yelped, staring at him with wide eyes.

Lincoln blinked, looking nervously back to the doorway without moving his head. Lucy managed to lift her head enough to see Lisa watching them with narrowed eyes. When Lincoln smiled to her and shrugged she sighed in exasperation, throwing her hands up and leaving them alone again. The man exhaled and wiped his brow in relief before looking back down at Lucy, smiling sadly.

"Lisa told me she didn't want us to overload you with information... Well she kinda cornered me outside when I first got here but...-" He rubbed the back of his head with a guilty smile. "I guess the cats out of the bag on that." Lincoln knelt down on his knees and checked his phone timer for the dye, turning it over to show her there was about five minutes left. "We've got some more time alone in here. I guess I can gush a bit like the proud father I am."

Lucy looked at him quietly. " Ok, well what is it?"

Lincoln quirked a brow at her. "Its a dog." He laughed when she glowered at him. "Ok, ok! Well the real question you should ask is 'What gender are 'they' "

"They?!" She blinked.

"I got four girls back home." Lincoln smiled and rolled his eyes. "The loud house curse strikes again, eh." When Lucy just stared back, wide eyed , he chuckled nervously. "Well uh, my oldest is eleven next year. My youngest just turned two."

Lucy could just stare, mind reeling. Her big brother was a father... he had a kid OLDER than she was - erh in her head, at least. She had missed out on so much...

Lincoln snapped his fingers in front of her face, bringing her back to see his worried face. "Luc, you still with me?"

"Ugh, yah..." Lucy murmured lethargically, trying to come back around by her mind was still reeling in shock.

"Was that too much?" Lincoln asked, still concerned.

"No... ugh, no..." Lucy stared back at him. Adult Lincoln. Adult Lincoln with FOUR kids... She was an aunt! She had BEEN an aunt for ten years at least! She missed out on being there for Lincoln when they were born... She'd missed their birthdays... Did she have anyway of getting presents for them...? Oh geeze speaking of, she had missed the Christmases to! Actually she'd missed eighteen Christmases... and if she did get Lincoln's family presents then she'd need to get everyone presents. What if they ALL have kids?! Where would she get money for all those-

"-Lucy!"

She flinched when she realized she had spaced out again. Lincoln had lifted the chair to semi seated and was kneeling beside her. "You back?" When she nodded slowly he sighed in relief. "Ok, way too much for now. Lets leave it at that."

Lucy wilted slightly as Lincoln's phone went off, alerting him that the dye was set. She was actually interested in knowing more... Lincoln had been the only one open with her, even if it was in a small dose. She watched as Lincoln uncovered her hair, checking it over before nodding.

"This stuff is fast dying, we can go straight into the washing part." Lincoln said, tilting the chair back. He stood, reaching for the detachable shower head before settling back down and turning the water on. Once warm enough Lincoln started to spray it into her hair, pausing when his sister steeled under its spray. "You ok?"

Lucy swallowed slightly and willed herself to relax. "Mmm, yah..."

"I know what happened this morning."

Lucy froze. She felt her brother's finger lace through her hair in order to help remove the excess material. "Mom and Lisa told me about it. They were worried about you, which is apparently the only reason they called to tell me." Lincoln gushed more water over her scalp and Lucy shivered. "They were hoping I could cheer you up. Until then, I'm not allowed to tell anyone else your awake."

"What? Why?" Lucy asked,head dipping slightly with Lincoln's movements.

"Well, when I heard you were awake I basically dropped everything and came here first chance I got. Willing to bet everyone else would be the same and if just me visiting is putting you off, I don't even wanna know what would happen if we were all over at once." Lincoln pulled out the clips in her hair, tossing them into the trash. "So about this morning... how are you feeling?"

Lucy looked away. "I'm fine... I'm not water logged or anything-" She jolted when Lincoln spritzed her hair again.

"Yah, sure." Lincoln frowned. "Your just fine."

Lucy bit her lip and choose to examine the ceiling instead of answering.

"Look. Lucy, you don't have to worry about water. Mom texted dad and their getting a specialized bath chair." Lincoln said, running his hands over her head again. "But that's not what I meant. I meant how you just seemed to shut down after."

Lucy was silent, eyes downcast. She heaved a sigh before looking to the counter.

"Come on, its your big brother Lincoln. You can tell me anything." He said, patting her wet head.

Lucy blinked, still eyeing the counter as she spoke. "I guess... I guess everything has been settling in. I keep forgetting about... my body not working...and I'm still trying to get around the eighteen years thing." Lucy frowned. "Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna wake up from this dream and go to school tomorrow." She sighed when Lincoln ran his hands through her hair again. "When I almost died in the tub I kinda realized how even the stupidest little thing can kill me now." She looked down at her feet. "I guess I just got really... sad and stuff..."

"You probably shut down because the emotions were too much for you to handle." Lincoln said. " Depression has that effect on people. Clyde tells me about it all the time."

"Clyde?"

"He's a psychologist now."

Lucy watched Lincoln wash the last bit of extra dye from her hair, his face one of concerned thought. She sighed sadly. "Im sorry, I didn't mean to worry everyone."

"Hey, No." Lincoln said softly. "Don't be sorry Lucy... Your going though some really messed up sh- uh stuff. Your emotions are gonna be a little messy. They're bound to be." He sat her chair back up and held her hair back. " Don't feel bad that your feeling bad... The main reason you worried us is because you weren't letting it out. So long as you don't let it consume you, your allowed to feel and if it ever dose, then we'll be here to pull you back out. Ok?"

Lucy stared back into Lincoln's eyes before smiling slightly "Yah, ok..."

Lincoln finished up quietly. Blowing her hair dry and brushing it back into order. Lincoln stepped back with a small smile before he took the mirror off the counter and brought it back to show her. "Weeelllll?"

Lucy looked into the hand mirror and found... Lucy. There was no stranger looking back at her from the glass now, it was her. A slightly older, thinner her granted, but it was her again. She smiled just enough to be noticeable before she looked up at her brother.

"Not dark enough, do it again." She monotoned.

Lincoln blinked owlishly before he caught her smile grin and threw his head back with a laugh. "Ah! Aw geeze, Lucy!" He smiled down at her. "Don't do that to an old man like me!"

"Old man? Thats kind of a depressing to call yourself... Sounds like one of my poems." Lucy hummed "An old man like me. From death I do Flee. No matter how much I want to be free... ugh..." Lucy paused, squinting slightly. "Sea?... We...?-"

"Death dose not listen to pleas?" Lincoln suggested, kneeling beside her again.

"As always, you know just what to rhyme." Lucy said, a small smile on her face.

Lincoln laughed again softly, but when he looked back at her, his face held a slightly sad simper. He leaned in just enough to touch his forehead to her's.

"I really missed this, Lucy." He said. Lucy could only stare back at him, lost on what to say.

"I really missed you."

* * *

Lincoln carried Lucy back into the living room and set her comfortably on the couch, arranging her arms into a more relaxed position. Standing he flashed a smile to her before he turned back to the kitchen. "Mom! Lisa, come and see! We're all done"

"Coming!" Rita shouted as she and Lisa rounded the archway from the kitchen. "Did everything turn out? I hope you two didn't ruin anymore of my towel-" Rita froze, Lisa stopping at her side, the two staring at Lucy, wide eyed.

"Well? What do you think?" Lincoln asked. "I think it turned out good."

Lisa's mouth opened and closed like a fish, unblinking as Rita simply stood, her hands going to her mouth. Lucy looked to Lincoln in mild confusion as the man scratched his head.

"It ah... It is good, right?" Lincoln asked. He watched Lisa nod before he went to their side, sighing heavily. "Look... I realized to, before we finished but-"

"What? Realized what?" Lucy yelped.

Rita began to shake, shoulders shivering before she started to cry quietly into her hands. Lincoln quickly pulled her into a hug as Lisa kept gocking at her, slightly pale.

"Whats going on?" Lucy frowned.

Lisa and Lincoln shared a quick look before he sighed. "Lucy... having your hair dyed again kinda... brings back memories." He started to rock Rita back and forth as she whimpered slightly. "Some of them are hard to think about..."

"Oh god..." Rita sniffled. "She looks just like she did before... and just like after we got her back from the hospital."

Lisa kept staring at her, mouth gaping as she walked forward to get a closer look, putting her hand through Lucy's hair carefully. "I-i... I remember you having... hair like this, but..." Lisa shook her head. "Its like seeing a ghost or something!"

"Uhh, well, you know..." Lucy smiled nervously. "I am all about ghosts and stuff..."

Lisa fluffed Lucy's hair a bit more, seemingly in deep thought. She stepped back when Lincoln took her shoulder to move her , Rita coming to Lucy' side. Their mother also put a hand to Lucy's hair, brushing it back with doleful grin on her face. She stroked her hand down to cup Lucy's chin.

"Look at you, huh..." She murmured, snuffling a little. "You look like your back in your own skin again. How are you feeling?"

"Better." Lucy said with a nod. "Feeling more like myself."

"That's good to hear sweety." Rita said quietly. "I'm so glad."

Lincoln sat back down on the couch beside her, throwing his arm over the back and crossing a leg over his knee comfortably. "I guess I did a pretty good job." He smirked, if a little sullen, rubbing his knuckles on his shirt before inspecting them in the light. "Not bad for an old fart like me."

"Don't call yourself old, if your old god knows what I am." Rita spoke with a watery giggle.

The front door in the kitchen clunked shut and rustling could be heard. "I'm home, Rita!"

"Oh, Lynnard! Come see what Lincoln has done!" Rita shouted, walking over to meet him halfway.

"Oh? What did he- CHEESE AND CRACKERS!" The man had one look at Lucy before stumbling to the floor.

* * *

The clinking and clanging of dishes in the kitchen filled the room as Lincoln lifted Lucy off the couch, carrying her to her usual chair at the dinner table.

"Are you sure you won't stay for dinner Lincoln?" Rita asked as she pulled out the chair for him to place Lucy in. "Your father made his famous Gumbo."

"I would, but I have to get home to my girls." Lincoln said, after arranging Lucy's arms in her lap. "I'll come back around for a visit once you think it'll be ok to bring the kids." Lincoln said, looking to his mother and Lisa before smiling back at Lucy, noogieing her lightly on the head. "I want the girls to meet their Gothic aunt."

Lucy smiled slightly up at him as he straightened her hair. "I suppose I could make time in my busy schedule."

Lincoln rolled his eyes in amusement before turning back to his mother. "I can pop in if you guys ever need help with anything. I'm just one call away."

"Of course." Rita said as she pulled her son in for a hug. "Thank you sweetheart."

"I'll be running some tests tomorrow, just a last check to see if there is any damage." Lisa said, sitting down across from her sister. "After that I have to go into give a guest lecture at the university, so I'll be going home. Which means they may take you up on your offer quicker than you anticipate."

"Oh Lisa. We can handle everything for a little bit." Mr Loud said, coming in from the kitchen with a big pot of food.

"Oh my gosh that smell good, I'd better get out of here before I'm tempted to take you up on your offer." Lincoln chuckled as he made his way through the kitchen to the door. "I see you guys."

"Goodbye Lincoln." The family chorused as the door shut quickly.

Mr Loud started to bowl up the food as his wife took a seat next to Lucy, fixing up her tubing. "Did you get the gum Lynnard?"

"Yup." The father nodded as he pulled a pack from his pocket and handed it to his wife. Lucy watched the exchange quietly, jumping when the ports were opened in her neck as the line connected... Still need to get used to that. She watched as Rita unwrapped a stick of gum for her before offer it for her daughter to take in her mouth.

Dinner was quiet, Lucy chewed her gum as she looked around at her silent family, mulling over the days events. It had been a lot to take in. The emotions, the knowledge Lincoln had shared with her, and it was just the beginning. She still had a lot of questions that needed answers, like what was happening to everyone else...

Lucy almost choked on her gum when she realized there was something Lincoln left out.

Who did Lincoln have kids WITH?!

* * *

 **Hey Spotty here!**

Hope you guys are enjoying me yanking all your chains! Its gonna keep happening for a bit. However I wanted to bring up something a few people have asked about. Namely it being the future and that something should exist to either fix Lucy, or make her life easier. To that I say, fair enough. However in order to weasel out of this, cause this story would kinda change dramatically if that happened, Im gonna say it either hasn't happened yet, or its too expensive.

For the it hasn't happened yet, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the fifties and sixties, people thought we'd have flying cars and robot butlers by now. We've also been trying to heal the disabled for just as long, if not longer. While progress is made everyday, and I hate to say this, medical science isn't often funded, or at least for the right reasons. Sometimes you make more money keeping people sick rather than fixing them... So we might not have the things we think we could years down the line. Science can do amazing things, and the stories's world dose have Lisa Loud (She's been looking into it) however I'd just say its not where they can use it on the general public yet.

As for the 'too much money' affect, in this idea somethings do exist, but its very, very expensive. Not to mention a little risky. True to the title the Louds did get a settlement after the car accident, but they had to pay for surgeries and equipment, not to mention help support Lincoln's family when they lived with them and put five of their kids through college/ university themselves. Not much is left at this point.

Ha'chacha! Now that thats out of the way, we can expect to see two more Louds next chapter! Whenever thats done...


	4. Change of Plans

Hey! Sorry this took so long! I still have interest in this story so don't worry! I just started a new job so yeah...

Enjoy!

* * *

"Welp, I think I can safely say that your mind is back up to normal function." Lisa said as she released Lucy's head. It was the morning after Lincoln's visit, and true to her word the brainiac had just finished her tests. "As normal as you usually are, I mean."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Lucy said, monotone.

"Be that as it may." Lisa responded dryly as she put some tools away. "I'd still like you to try and take things easy. Anything too strenuous, physically or mentally, could have ill effects on your well being." Lisa said, shaking her finger a moment. "Try and take it easy while I'm gone."

"Where are you going again?" Lucy asked as she watched Lisa put the last of her things away.

"Home as I said last night. I live near the university where I teach from time to time, when the mood strikes. I just took a few days off as you had woken up and needed me to look you over… I am your doctor after all."

"Isn't having a family member as a client against some kind of code in the doctor world?" Lucy frowned.

"The code of ethics, yes. Yet I'd expect you to know that scruples are not usually a part of my nature… well now so long as I don't endanger anyone's life." Lisa shrugged. "I know what I'm doing, I have the tools and I'm free. So there you go."

Lisa lifted her bag from the table, setting it with the rest of her things. "I just need to wait for my ride to take me home. I wasn't at my place when mom called, so I had to get a lift instead of taking my car."

Lisa had a car. Lucy thought back to the stubby four year old who had no hope of even reaching the gas pedal. It still seemed so recent…

"Who's picking you up?" Lucy asked, trying to get away from the thoughts in her head.

"Shelby." Lisa said simply.

"Who's that?"

Lisa paused in putting her things away, sighing a bit before sitting back down. "Well… Shelby is my… boyfriend."

Lisa has a boyfriend.

... Lisa has a boyfriend...

The image of the short four year old came back to mind.

"We've been together about two and a half years." Lisa explained. "He's nice. Smart… Cute…" She said the last part quickly and under her breath, blushing a bit.

Lucy stared back at her in shock. "D-does anyone else-"

"Some of us are married as you know." Lisa shrugged. "Only I am currently dating but plenty of us are single still. Luna is single, Lola is single…not for a lack of trying..." Lisa paused, looking cross for a moment. "Well… Leni is dating actually…"

"What's the matter?" Lucy asked, concerned.

"Its- Its nothing. You shouldn't concern yourself…" Lisa said quickly, waving her hand. "You'll meet all of them in due time. Nothing to worry about."

Lucy fell silent once more, thoughts racing. She was still trying to wrap her head around Lisa having a boyfriend. It was unreal. When Lucy had last been… herself, Lisa had been a toddler with coke bottle glasses and messy brown chops for hair. She wasn't ugly by any means, but definitely outside the realm of date-able, mostly by age alone. To think that her little sister had a boyfriend before she did-

Wait… Did she?

"Whatever happened to Rocky?" Lucy questioned, looking to Lisa uncertainty. Sure she had had other crushes besides the red headed boy, such as Silas, but those never went as far as she and Rocky had gotten. They were close, or at least she had like to think they were.

"Who?" Lisa asked and Lucy felt a twinge of misery.

It was more than enough of an answer…

"Wait, that red headed kid? His brother was Lincoln's friend… right?" Lisa continued, scratching her head. "Sorry, I haven't heard that name in so long."

"Yeah, thats him. Whatever happened to him?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I recall that he came to see you once in the hospital. Though he may not have come after that as the room was usually packed to capacity with only half of the immediate family. Fire code and all." Lisa gestured vaguely. "Basic visit, told you to get well soon in your catatonic state and sat around for a little while before he had to go. Was polite enough." Lisa put a finger to her chin in thought. "I think Lincoln told me more about him…. AH! Yes, his parents got a divorce."

"Really? Thats sucks." Lucy frowned, feeling bad for her old flame.

"Yes, yes. I believe his father stayed in the area with Rusty. While their mother took Rocky to Ohio to stay with relatives. I was talking with Lincoln a few years ago, if memory serves. Said he got married two years back now." Lisa hummed. "Rusty's married as well, has some kids."

"Oh." Lucy couldn't say she was surprised. She had been gone for over ten years, you can't expect someone to wait a time as long as that. Sure they hadn't become a 'couple' by any definition of the word, but this news did make her feel a little hurt…

Well, she couldn't really move. What kind of dating was she supposed to do.

Lisa seemed to note Lucy's reaction. "Would you like me to put a movie on? Mom and Dad have a streaming system. Has almost every movie you can think of." She wiped her glasses clean with her shirt. "Mom will be napping for a bit and my ride should be here any minute."

"...Sure." Lucy agreed, watching her sister turn the tv on. She winced at the brightness, still trying to adjust to such a futuristic Tv. Lisa seemed to skim through a few of the titles.

Frozen 2, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4…

Geeze, sequel central.

As Lisa skipped past a few things she finally stopped one a movie that had Lucy's face light up. "I believe this was one of your favorites?" Lisa said coyly, knowing full well that it was.

"Your memory is scary good." Lucy said with a smile as Edward Scissorhands started to play. Lisa took a seat beside her, both watching quietly. About the time Pegg Boggs came to Edward's front door to sell her Avon products their own front door rang.

"Thats Shelby." Lisa said, standing up"Let me just grab my things and I'll go-"

"Can I meet him?" Lucy asked.

"Gahhh." Lisa paused, looking thoughtful. "I don't want to overload you Lucy…"

"I'm just meeting him." Lucy frowned.

"Well I suppose…" Lisa walked out into the kitchen. "Just stay there, I'll be back."

"Couldn't leave if I wanted." Lucy quipped back with a hint of humor.

"Sorry."

She couldn't really hear what was said in the kitchen, but the door opened and she could make out the faint outlines of conversation. Then Lisa came back in with a boy who seemed close to her age. He was just a titch taller than she was, with curly strawberry blonde hair and thick glasses. He was a little chubby, but not as so much to be noticed at first glance. He seemed a little nervous and uncertain.

"Lucy this is Shelby." Lisa said, pointing to him. "Shelby, you know Lucy. At least by appearance."

"Y-yeah!" He rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Its nice to finally meet you, now that you're awake that is."

"Yes." Lucy blinked, taking him in.

Lisa's Boyfriend. Lisa's boyfriend. Lisa's boyfriend.

"Lisa told me about you a little bit." Shelby revealed, looking to the brunette bashfully. She raised a brow at him. "You liked- erh, like gothic art culture right?"

"Yes, it's an interest of mine." Lucy agreed. "Poetry too."

"Yes she mentioned that, I'm not too knowledgeable in those subjects… but ask me anything about reptiles and I can give you an answer!" Shelby chuckled a little. "I always loved little scaly critters. Its why I got into Herpetology in the first place."

"Herpetology?"

"The study of amphibians, caecilians and reptiles. I work for the museum in the city." He smiled.

"Is that where you met?" Lucy asked, looking at Lisa to find the girl blushing a little, looking disgruntled. Even after all this time asleep, she still love meddling in her siblings social life.

"Yes actually! She kicked the door in at my office and yelled at my boss for our cold blooded animal exhibit. Apparently there were a few mistakes." Shelby looked pleasantly sheepish.

"A few? Try at least ten." Lisa grunted, rolling her eyes. "The museum is a place of learning! Any errors could negatively affect people, such as those studying for tests or thinking about getting pet reptiles."

"So are you as smart as Lisa?" Lucy asked, watching them both twitch at the question.

"Oh no! I wish I was! She's way smarter than me!" Shelby laughed. "Infact when we met, I was just an intern at the museum with my college. She help give me some tutoring and we became good friends."

"Your very smart Shelby." Lisa said, though her blush deepened at the praise.

"So there weren't any sparks at the beginning of your relationship?" Lucy asked, looking between them.

"Well, maybe for me…" Shelby looked bashful again. "Only I was still in school… and besides that Lisa was dating someone else-"

"YES! Well, we should go!" Lisa said quickly, pushing on her boyfriend forcefully. He looked at her in surprise, before wincing.

"Oh! Sorry Lis." He frowned.

"What?" Lucy asked as she watched Lisa make her way to the kitchen with Shelby being forced in front of her. "You had a boyfriend before Shelby-"

"She doesn't like to talk about him, he was a little bit of a jerk…" Shelby whined, sinking in on himself a little.

"She was a colossal ass!" Lisa hissed, giving up on forcing Shelby along and grabbing her bag.

"Oh…" Lucy frowned.

"It was very nice to finally talk to you Lucy!" Shelby said as he went to the front door in the kitchen. Lisa following after him.

"Bye Lisa." Lucy called. The brunette paused in the doorway, holding the frame before turning back. She looked tired, but not really upset anymore.

"Goodbye Lucy. I'll be back to check on you later this week. We can talk more then." Lisa explained. "For now, just take it easy." She wobbled on her feet before hurrying back to kiss Lucy's forehead. "Love you."

"Love you to." Lucy muttered as her sister hurried back to the kitchen, the door shutting after a few moments. Lucy cocked her head to the side now that she was finally alone, looking back at the movie screen quietly.

Lisa had a jerk ex-boyfriend… Rocky moved away a long time ago…

The remaster addition of Edward Scissorhands wasn't much different from the original…

Huh. The more things change…

* * *

The movie was just as good as the last time she had seen it. Even if it had been a long time since the last viewing than she recalled. What seemed like just months back was actually years…

It was still hard to wrap her head around that.

The tv stayed on for a bit after that on the loading screen before the timer turned it off. Lucy couldn't have put on another movie if she wanted to, but she was feeling kinda restless. Like she had just sat around too long.

Better get used to it.

In the end she decided to stare off into space until her mother finish her nap. Apparent she had trouble sleeping last night and wanted to try and catch up on it. Lucy was inclined to let her have it, at least until she was so bored she started to count the stucco spikes on the ceiling…

Hopefully two and a half hours was enough time.

"Mom?" Lucy called, trying to look around the couch. Her neck only got so far before it felt like the muscles were tightly stretched. Not moving them for a decade would do that to them. She pushed on a little more grunting, but she was only able to make out a corner to the hallway entry. "Mom?" She tried again, but her voice was strained from the angle.

Damn.

She looked helplessly back the tv. There was nothing she could do to make entertainment for herself. She wandered for a second how long her mother planned on sleeping, and if it was a little greedy for her to expect her mother to interrupt her schedule for Lucy's whims. The girl lay her head back on the sofa, thinking about how this could be what the rest of her life would be like.

Really shouldn't be left alone with my thoughts like this…

She thought back to the book Watership Down, one she had read when the librarian suggested it. She thought it would be too girly for her, what with it being about rabbits and all, but she found it just up her alley. In the book one chapter focused on a warren of rabbits who lived a life free of predators and worries of food. They were fed by man in order to make them big and plump, protected from predators to be trapped by the same hands that fed them. The rabbits pretended not to know of the snares just outside their homes. They instead made up poems and make shapes or art on the walls to distract from the inevitable demise they all faced, too afraid to leave for another home as they were well fed and fat and slow.

Lucy always wondered if it was an allegory for society. If people got so comfortable they never tried anything knew out of fear, and they had so much time because they didn't have to hunt for food or guard against attacks that they were left with thoughts. Bad thoughts that made them wonder what they were really worth, weather any of this mattered in the long run, like the really long run. So they distracted themselves with Tv and books and games and the internet. They stayed up late to not think about these things. These painful things…

Lucy had been a fan of the macabre, still was. Art wasn't something she really saw as a bad thing. If anything these little 'distractions' were what made life worth living...Only now Lucy couldn't even distract herself. No hands to hold books, or write or draw. No feet to leave a situation, to crawl through vents…

Then again, Lucy couldn't very well make people entertain her all day… She's just have to figure out a way to do so on her own… keep her thoughts in a better place somehow…

SLAM

Lucy jerked, looking to the kitchen wildly. Did someone just come in through the front door? She tried to peer around the dining room entryway but couldn't make anything out…

Had she imagined it?

She looked back at the TV. It started back with a black screen. Was she starting to lose it slowly? Was it brain damage? Lucy looked back at the kitchen way, only to freeze.

A small girl stood before her.

Lucy stared at the child. She had light brown hair and was dressed in a simple T-Shirt and jeans. She stared back, hazel eyes blinking. She was pretty small, and Lucy watched her walk to the side of the couch and scramble on up, having to jump a little to get on.

"Ugh, Hello?" Lucy said, confused beyond all reason. Who was this? Where had she come from? Was Lucy actually going crazy?!

The little girl crawled over onto Lucy's lap, sitting there before putting her face a mere inch away from Lucy's. A smidge more and they'd be rubbing noses. Lucy tilted her head back as the girl stared up at her. The tiny brunette then took one of Lucy's limp hands and lifted it up into the air, only to let it flop back to the couch. She giggled as it did so.

Was this some neighbour kid?!

"Ah, please don't do that…" Lucy mumbled. The girl looked up at her, then slowly started to reach for Lucy's hand again. "Don't." Lucy frowned when she took the hand anyway, still slowly raising it into the air. "Do NOT." Lucy repeated, though it had no effect as the child held the hand up in the air. There was a pregnant pause before she dropped it again, laughing as it thumped to the cushion bellow. Lucy rolled her head back grumpily.

Nice.

"Hey! Where'd you go?" The door opened and closed again. "Sweetie?"

The little girl looked up as a brunette woman entered the room. As soon as she spotted the child she placed her hands on her hips. "Dinah!" She said with a frown. "What have I told you about climbing around on your aunt Lucy!'

Lucy stared at her. She was dressed in a skirt suit with shirt under the open top. She had on a pair of high heels and had medium length brown hair hanging around her shoulders She crossed to them, trying to pull the little girl off Lucy's lap.

Yet 'Dinah' proved resilient. She squirmed around, trying to get out of the woman's grasp before taking Lucy's hair in her hands to try and stay in her lap, but thankfully the older woman let up on her pulling so as not to hurt the goth.

"No no! Honey! I know Lucy's hair is- … huh, they dyed it black again…- I mean! No! Dinah! Let go! No pulling hair!" She ordered, trying to undo Dinah's hold with one hand and pull her back with the other.

"Whats going on in here?" Rita asked as she wandered in sleepily from the hall, pausing at the sight before her. "Luan! What is she doing?!"

"Sorry mom!" Luan whined and got a little more desperate trying to untangle Lucy's hair from Dinah's hands. "She came in ahead of me and I thought we'd surprise you today with a visit but-"

Dinah choose that moment o tug Lucy's hair.

Harshly.

"OW!" Lucy yelped, not in the mood to make a sarcastic monotone joke.

Luan froze. "W-wha..?" She mouthed, looking to her mother with wide eyes.

Rita smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Ah, surprise?" She made a jazz hands motion with her hands. "Lucy's awake!"

Luan looked between the two, shock. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, made a squeaking noise and then-

"Oh my goodness!" Rita gasped, snatching Dinah from her daughter's hold before the burnette fainted to the ground. Rita bounced Dinah a little, looking down with concern at her child.

Dinah was looking down as well, though more curious than worried. She looked back at Lucy, only to tug her hair again.

"Stop." Lucy grumbled, wincing when the child just did it again. "Sigh."

* * *

Rita had managed to put Luan and Lucy into some chairs around the dining table. She sighed as she set Dinah in a booster seat and gave her a coloring book with some crayons. "I'm sorry Lucy, Dinah just a little girl. She doesn't know any better."

Dinah slapped her hands on the book before starting to draw all over the inner page.

"So who is she?" Lucy asked as her mom ran a brush through her hair, trying to right the messy bits Dinah had ruffled.

"She is my granddaughter!" Rita laughed and patted Dinah on the head with one hand. The girl seemed to not notice. "She's Luan's only baby."

"Luan is a parent to huh?" Lucy said, only a little surprised. She looked back at her sister, noting a few similarities from when she last remembered seeing her. The nose, the mouth, the shape of the chin, it was all the same. Though it was weird to see her without braces on.

"Mmmhmm. Dinah's four right now." Rita leaned back to inspect her work of Lucy's hair, nodding in approval.

"Mmmmm…." Luan groaned. Rita turned to her, fanning her face a little.

"Take it easy sweetie, you just fainted!" Rita explained, offering Luan a glass of water. Luan mumbled but took it, taking a generous swig before wiping her lips with the back of her sleeve.

"Ahhh, geeze… What happened? Why did I faint like th-" Luan steeled before looking up at her mom wildly, her gaze quickly locking on Lucy. She stared at the goth for a moment before Lucy cocked her head.

"Mom."

"Yes Luan?"

"MOM."

"Luan?"

"MOM!" Luan shouted, point to Lucy. "Mom! MOM! Lucy! Lucy's- She!"

"Yes honey! She's awake!" Rita smiled, patting Luan's free hand as the brunette looked between them in a daze.

"She-" Luan took both her hands back to rub her eyes before blinking them thoroughly. She stared at Lucy again before smiling widely. "Lucy! Your awake!"

"So I've been told." Lucy said deadpanned. However Luan took no mind as she practically leaned over their mother to hug her sister.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! I can't believe this! Your back! Your back!" Luan said, sounding close to tears but Lucy could tell she was still smiling. "Oh my- I missed you! I missed you so much!"

Lucy looked to her mother, feeling awkward that she couldn't return the hug. The older woman smiled and shrugged a little, leaving Lucy to her sister's embrace. Though Lucy suspected she wiped her eye of a stray tear when Luan's hair blocked her sights.

"Well, it's nice to be back." Lucy said, nuzzling into the side of her sister's head. "I missed you all to."

"Ahh geeze!" Luan chuckled a little and leaned back. "I knew you'd 'coma' back to us!"

"I take it back." Lucy grunted, making Luan laugh again. Her mother shook her head a little, swatting at Luan's shoulder.

"Laun!"

"I know, I know! Too soon and too touchy, but it was the only thing I could think to say!" Luan admitted, settling back in her seat. "I'm sorry." Rita still seemed a little put off, but sighed and leaned back in her own seat. Luan just smiled at her. "So how long have you been back Lucy?"

"Four days, at least that she's been cognizant. Lisa said she could have been in and out for days before. We might have just not noticed." Rita explained. Lucy was thankful her mother was taking the wheel, as she actually had to think back and remember.

Luan blinked, looking at her mother in confusion now. "Wait. Why didn't you tell me she was awake if it's been four days now?" She looked back to check on Dinah before continuing. "Does anyone else know?"

"Lisa of course." Rita said, looking slightly uncomfortable. "We told Lincoln, but only because Lucy was a little down and we knew he always cheered her up. That's all who know…"

"You mean you haven't told anyone else?" Luan asked, surprised. "Mom they should know! I mean, what if they find out like I did? Someone like Lynn or Lola could get pretty sour about not being in the loop. Plus you know how Lori would take it."

Rita looked away, frowning sadly. "Yes. Yes I suppose you're right… Lisa was just worried about how Lucy would process everything. Especially if everyone all came over at once…"

"Mom, Luna's on tour. Lola's in Milan and Lori lives a good few hours away. I doubt we can all show up at once… Not to mention Lincoln and Lisa have already seen her. That's five Louds that won't come running over and get stuck in the door frame at the same time. Six counting me." Luna shrugged. "I bet if you explain it to everyone they'll leave the kids at home for the first visit."

"I suppose…" Rita admitted softly. "I could call Lisa and talk about this again. If your ok with that honey?" She looked to Lucy.

"I guess." Lucy said. Truthly seeing everyone again was kinda surreal and off putting. When they come in the door she expected them to be what she remembered. Kids. Not adults with mortgages, jobs and their own families to worry about. It was nice to reconnect with them, especially when they clearly missed her so much, it was just kinda emotionally draining.

Well she was going to have to do it eventually.

"I'll go call Lisa and see what she thinks… Lucy has been reacting better than she thought she would, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let everyone know at least." Rita stood up. "I'll be back in a second."

"Ok." Luan said as they watched their mom go back towards the bedrooms for her cellphone.

Lucy and Luan sat in awkward silence for a second once she was gone, both staring at each other. Luan rubbed her hands together.

"So…" Luan said softly. "How have you been?"

"Ok. Everything's crazy and I'm playing catch up a lot." Lucy muttered. "How have the last eighteen years treated you?"

"Pretty well." Luna smiled, gesturing to Dinah across from them. "I mean, it was hard at first… with the accident. Everyone was pretty shaken up by it. Even if some of us weren't in the car, it affected us all differently. I had a few good friends by my side during the time and it made things easier." Luan paused. "Do you remember Ben?"

Ben… Ben, Ben, ben…

"Benny?" Luan tried again, looking concerned.

Oh!

"The guy you liked in your theater group?" Lucy blinked. She had never met him, but when all the siblings had been trying to find out the who an anonymous love letter belonged to, Luan had hoped Benny had sent it to her. He was apparently a nice guy who loved the performing arts.

"Yeah! He was one of those friends. We eventually started dating and got married." Luan said, shrugging. "It was nice."

"Was?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah…" Luan sighed, scratching the back of her head. "We lasted five years, give or take. I mean, we aren't unfriendly to each other. It just didn't work out. It got just a little messy before we both agreed to separate."

"What do you mean messy?" Lucy asked.

"I mean that we started to argue. Pretty badly." Luan frowned.

"But you have so much in common…" Lucy said. "You both like performing and jokes…"

"Well, he was more of a plays and operas kinda guy and I was a 'stand up' gal." Luan took the moment to laughed at her joke, settling after a second. "Anyway. We did have a lot in common, but our personalities were a little off. At first we could see past that and work through it, but after a few years things can start to wear you down." Lynn frowned. "We had a theater business and he wanted to do more tragic plays, and I just wanted comedy. We started to fight about that and then we started to bring up little things about each other that bugged us. We tired to make it work, but sometimes things just don't work." Luan shook her head. "In the end we decided it was best for Dinah if we just stopped fighting and divorced."

"Why?" Lucy asked, eyes wide. In all her years of reading fantasy romance books, she hadn't come across this kind of stuff. Where love just slowly died and people grew apart.

"What do you mean? It just happens." Luan said quickly.

"Sorry, I just don't understand." Lucy said, cocking her head.

"Well- Ohhhh…" Luan winced. "Thats right. I forgot your not actually…"

"Actually what?" Lucy frowned.

"An adult." Luan said, tapping her temple. "Up here. You just looked the part." She patted Lucy's hand. "Look, don't worry about any of that though. It's done and in the past. Ben and I have an understanding and Dinah get equal time with us both. This is actually working out well so far." Luan leaned back in her chair. "Dinah seems fine at least."

"What does she think of everything?" Lucy asked in curiosity.

"I have no idea." Luan smirked dryly.

"What? Why not?"

"She doesn't talk. Like at all… It's not that she can't its just… she won't?" Luan put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Lisa tried to show he sign language but she didn't sit still long enough. I think she just doesn't want to talk yet. So I have no idea how she feels about the divorce. I explained everything to her but she just stared at me and nodded her head, so…." Luan waved her hand dismissively.

Having grown up with a verity of younger siblings, Lucy knew enough that children started to talk pretty early on in life, a little after one or something? Right? The fact that Dinah hadn't made a peep must have been troubling for Luan…

Maybe she just had nothing to say?

Lucy looked to her 'niece' quizzically-

"UGH!"

The seat that once contained Dinah now stood empty. Luan gasped, looking under the table. "Dinah! Honey!" She sat back up, still looking worried and clearly not seeing her down there. "Where are you?!"

MREOW!

Craig leapt up onto the table between them. A pink sock on his head. He scrambled around blindly on the place mats as Dinah laughed loudly behind them.

"Dinah!" Luan practically leapt for her. Lucy couldn't see from her position but it sounded like she missed, as Dinah was still laughing. She watch the little girl lead her mother on a chase into the kitchen. She seemed to be missing her socks and shirt. "We talk about this nudist thing Dinah! We need to wear our clothes because- NOO!" Something bangs and clanged, a few pots and pans rolling out the kitchen doorway. "Dinah! We don't throw-"

POOOOOOOFFF

A cloud of white exploded in the kitchen. A few seconds later Luan came out, covered head to toes in flour but holding a struggling four year old under her arm. She took up her seat once again, placing Dinah in her lap as the girl tried to wriggle out of her jeans. Luan had the face a disgruntled cashier being forced to endure a soccer mom's complaint that was beyond her control to fix…

"You ok?" Lucy asked.

Luna flinched as Dinah tossed her jeans up on her head. The comedian rearranged her hands to make sure the child couldn't remove her underwear. "Just paying penance for all those April Fool day shenanigans…" Luan frowned deeper. "Karma comes back eventually…"

"Oh my. How in the world did she find the flour again?" Rita asked as she came back in, eyeing up her dusty kitchen. "I put it up on the highest shelf…"

"Like life, Dinah finds a way." Luan said, deadpanned.

"Well we had better find a way to clean up the kitchen. As well as get that sock off poor Craig's head." The blonde leaned over, pulling the cat's head free. He shook his fur back out as Rita cooed to him. "Poor boy gets all the guff don't you?"

Craig meowed to her thankfully, sending a disgruntled look to Dinah before dashing off again.

"Dinah, be nice to the kitty." Rita said chidingly. The four year old spared her a glace before trying to squirm out of her mother's arms again.

"Mom, I'm so sorry." Luan said.

"Nonsense. Don't you remember how much trouble you kids got into. Times her by eleven and you have the last thirty five years of my life." Rita chuckled. "I'll tidy the kitchen. You get her back into her clothes."

Luna struggled to hold the child in one hand and put her missing articles back on with the other as Rita took off for the broom. Lucy watched the strange wrestling match from her seat at the table before humming. "I just thought of something."

"O-Oh?" Luan grunted, finally pulling Dinah's shirt over her head. "What's that?"

"Why isn't Dinah named with an L name? Isn't that something this family does?" Lucy asked.

"Lucy, we don't HAVE to do that. It was a funny little thing mom and dad did to likely torcher our estranged relative's memories." Luan laughed. "Besides, my name wasn't Luan Loud when Dinah was born. It was Luan Mite."

"Mite is Benny's last name?" Lucy blinked.

"Yyyyeeup. Benjamin Mite." Luan said, but her expression shifted to something sly. She seemed to be fishing for something now.

Lucy stared at her confusion, but slowly she reeled back in horror. "But, that means…."

"Yes." Luan smiled.

"No."

"Yes!" Luan laughed.

"T-that means… Dinah-" Lucy shook her head.

"Thats right!" Luan nodded in return.

"That Dinah's full name is- is-!"

"Say it Lucy!" Luan said, smiling like a supervillain.

"Dinah-Mite." Lucy sunk in her seat.

Luan meanwhile threw her head back and laughed, holding her daughter tightly to her chest and kicking her legs back and forth. "Yyyyyyeeeessss! Behold my magnum opus of puns! BEHOLD IT!" She held Dinah up like she was baby Simba, the girl starting to laugh along with her mother.

Lucy stared back at them, losing her will to stay teather to this mortal coil. "You ruined this kids life."

"Thats what I said." Rita sighed, coming out of the kitchen.

"Well dad liked it." Luan smiled and wriggled her eyebrows.

"Your father has horrible tastes Luan." Rita rolled her eyes and dusted some stray flour from her shoulder.

"Yeah, but he pick you right?"

Rita paused and pursed her lips. "Well. Poor tastes most of the time…"

Luan chuckled now and placed Dinah back on her lap. "Sure mom, whatever you say." Luan started to bounce the girl on her lap before speaking again. "Speaking of, what did Lisa say on the phone?"

Rita frowned a bit. "She wasn't very enthusiastic about the idea, but she did agree with your logic. I'm going to start calling people in a little bit, but first I think we need some lunch."

Dinah clapped her hands excitedly.

* * *

Another lunch with her throat hooked up to a feeding tube. This time she happily chewed on bubblegum as the others had grilled cheese with tomato soup. Luan had her eyes glued on Dinah like a hawk, snapping her fingers at her whenever the child tried to misbehave with her food. Which was a lot.

Lucy wandered if Luan's hands were sore.

"Who are you gonna call first?" Luan asked between bites of food.

"I was thinking of Luna and Lola, their the farthest away so we won't see them for a little while at least. Especially not with them working constantly." Rita said. "Then we'll see from there."

"They'll still drop everything and come down." Luan shrugged.

"Yes, but it will be a few days at least before they get here." Rita sighed. "So I can maybe set up a few different visits instead of one big manic panic."

"The keyword being maybe, of course." Luan laughed.

"Don't I know it…" Rita shook her head and set her empty plate aside. "Anyway, I think we got swept up in the current event. I never did ask why you stopped in."

"No real reason, I just wanted to visit you… but…" Luan pursed her lips before moaning. "I need more advice."

"Dinah?"

"Dinah."

Lucy flinched when Dinah accidently knocked over her milk, leaving it to pool in her lap.

"DINAH!" Rita and Luan both sat up at once in a panic. The girl looked between them and blinked in confusion as Luan lifted her out of the chair. Rita started to try and clean up the milk.

"I'm so sorry Lucy." Luan frowned and patted Dinah's back. "She's still getting the used to handling dishwear…"

Lucy tried to respond but her breath puffed against the tubes in her throat. She grimace when she realized she had forgotten, blushing embarrassed… However, so as not to look more stupid than she already did, she nodded.

Luan still seemed to realize what had happened, as she smiled sadly and patted Lucy's head. "Well, mom, it looks like you have your hands full right now. I can call you later and we can talk about that advice." Luan hefted Dinah higher up on her hip. "I better go home anyway. Ben will be by later to pick this little firecracker for his two weeks with her."

"Are you sure? You know I love having my grandbabies over." Rita said with a smile.

"Nah, but she'll be back to visit soon enough, right dynamo?" Luan asked before she blew a raspberry on Dinah's cheek. The little girl screeched happily.

"Well let me just get my kiss before you go!" Rita smiled and leaned in, kissing Dinah on her free cheek. The child giggled before grabbing her grandmother's face and planting a rather wet looking kiss on her face. Rita pulled back with a lugh, her cheek glistening with spit. "You two be careful ok?"

"Will do, and I'll be back to visit more later, ok Lucy?" Luan said as she look down to her sister. Lucy nodded, still unable to talk. Luan leaned down and kissed Lucy's cheek, which gave Dinah the chance to kiss her as well. With one cheek thoroughly slobbered Lucy sighed asLuan headed for the door. "Call me if you guys need me ok? Love you!"

"Love you to!" Rita shouted and they heard the front door shut. Rita shook her head with a chuckle. "Oh all those years of practical jokes makes this all the sweeter hmm?" Rita laughed now and wiped off Lucy's cheek. "Once I finish these dishes we'll unhook you and make some calls, ok?"

* * *

Rita and Lucy both sat on the couch as the blonde typed numbers into her cell phone. If Lucy was being honest here she was getting kinda nervous. Luan, Lincoln and Lisa… they had all changed so much. Sometimes she had to step back (metaphorically) and remember that these people were actually her siblings…

Everyone has change and I've stayed the same…

Rita held the phone up to her ear but frowned after a few minutes. "Hmmm. Luna isn't picking up… Well she must be busy." Rita winked to her daughter. "I'll leave her a message." There was a few moments of silence before Rita began again. "Hello Luna! Its mom. Call me back ok? I have something important to tell you. Love you!" Rita pulled back and started to mess around on the screen again. "Ok, next up is Lola."

Lucy watched her mother put her phone to her ear to listen again. Lucy held her breath flr a moment as she halfway hoped Lola wouldn't get the call, but would?... These feelings were confusing.

"Lola?" Her mother asked, tilting her head. "Hey honey, how's Milan? I- Oh…" Rita paused. "Yes, your father and I watched the televised runway. You're did a good job - huh?" Rita blinked. "America's next top Designer show? OH! They want you to model on it… Well that's great but-" Rita winced before sighing and rolling her eyes. "Well yes that's nice sweetie, but I have something to tell you. It's important." Rita paused again. "Well its about Lucy.- Yes! She's fine Lola. She's alright. Its just that she woke up!"

Rita smiled as Lucy could make out Lola's voice yelling out of the phone. "Yes! Yes its exciting! I- Oh. Well yes I can!"

Lucy's eyes widening when Her mother placed the phone under her black hair. "Uhhh… hi?" Lucy asked.

"Oh my god. LUCY! It is you! I'd recognize that drawl anywhere! I'm so excited your back!" Lola voice rang in her ears. "I missed you!"

"Yeah, me-"

"There is so much I need to catch you up on! Ok, so you know my pagent work right? Well at one of them this big agent, Trent, you will meet him later, he ask me to join his modeling agency. So I model for GAP kids for a bit, nice people, horrible clothes, and from there my career basically-"

Lucy leaned away from the phone, rolling her eyes now. Lola always loved to talk about herself…

"Lola! Honey! We can talk about that later. I just wanted you to know that she was back!" Rita laughed, pulling the phone back and putting it on speaker.

"Well its good to know! I'll be flying back as soon as possible." Lola said, papers rustling on her line. "I'll take the super jet back tonight and be there, mmmm, tomorrow morning? Afternoon the latest."

"Wait, Lola!" Rita started to sweat a bit. She clearly wasn't expecting her daughter to come home so quickly. "Don't spend your money on such an expensive ticket-"

"Nonsense. The agency will cover it, they always do. Besides the show here is over for now and shooting for ANTM doesn't start for a few months. I have plenty of spare time. I'll rent a hotel room though, I don't want to over crowd your apartment."

"Ugh, Lola… Wh-what about your new boyfriend?! The one you started dating? Antonio?" Rita said, trying to stop her.

"Oh Antonio and I broke up two months ago. I think your thinking of Angelo, he was the last one I had but we broke up five days ago… or did I not even get a chance to tell you about Angelo? Maybe it it was Alessandro your thinking of, he was between those two- geeze I date a lot of men with A names, you notice that? Do I just smell them out? I mean I dated Armel for two days before even I got his name-"

"Lola-" Rita started looking like she was about to start lecturing.

"-I know, I know! It's easier to destroy than it is to create, but I am a woman with standards mother." Lola scoffed. "I swear, men in Europe are some of the most romantic, but you need to draw them a damn map almost in the bedroom-"

"OK!" Rita jammed her fingers around on the screen, trying to turn off the speaker. She missed for a few minutes.

"-don't even get me started with Alphonse. He was a total momma's boy and Alexander was just weird, you ever heard about autoplushophilia? Well thats where-"

It cut off there, though Lucy could hear Lola's voice squeaking through the receiver. Rita groaned and leaned back on the seat, raising the phone to her ear tiredly. "Lola please! I- I need to call you back, I have to tell the other just- Yes. Yes I love you to but-" Rita grimace and let the phone drop. "She hung up."

"Whats auto-autoplush-?" Lucy started but Rita quickly scooped up the phone again.

"Lets call Lori sweetie! " Rita said and was sweating again. "Quiet while I talk on the phone ok!"

Lucy frowned in confusion, but the call went through fine. Rita smiled as she spoke into the receiver. "Hey Lori! How are you?" She asked, cocking her head as she listen to the response. "Thats good, and the kids?"

Lucy looked away, a little board. Her mind was taken up by her previous question. Autoplushophilia. Autoplushophilia…. She had no idea what it could mean. So she did what she did with other words she didn't understand. She broken them up. Auto was like cars… Automobiles. Wait then why was it called an Autobiography? Plush was simple, something soft… But Philia. What was that? She wasn't sure what it was. Lisa called her a bibliophile once. Phile sounded like the plural of philia. Sadly she didn't know what that word ment either…

"Lori I actually called because I have something to tell you!" Rita spoke, catching Lucy's attention again. "Well, Lucy woke up a few days ago!" Rita said excitedly. "Yes! Yes she's talking and interacting and everything! She-" Rita paused, confused. "What? Oh… Yes well she took that well enough but-" Rita's look become concern. "Lori I know that but-" The blonde turned away from Lucy, holding the phone closer to her ear, as if to keep Lucy from hearing what she already couldn't hear. "Lori no… Lori I don't- Lori that's ridiculous." Rita paused, looking back at Lucy worriedly. "I need to take this in the bedroom sweety. Lori having some…. Issues at home. I'll be right back." With that, Lucy watched her mother run off into the back hall.

Huh?

That was an odd reaction. What was all that? Lucy leaned over a little on the couch, trying to hear what was being said, but couldn't make anything out this far away. What the heck was going on?

She looked back at the tv blankly, trying to process what she had learned thus far.

Lincoln, Luan and Lori had kids. Lincoln had four girls. Luan only had Dinah... She knew Lisa didn't have any and Lola didn't mention any. However Lola had a laundry list of old flames so you never know… Luan was divorced. Lincoln was married. Lisa was dating.

Lucy's head pounded and she shook it. Gah. That was a lot to take in in one day. Maybe Lisa was onto something with this overloading crud. Only that made Lucy worry a little bit… The next few weeks were going to be just as wild, if not more so. She was not only going to have to learn all this stuff, she was going to have to retain it. All of it. Thankfully she had a rather good memory, but at this point who knew what was scrambled up there. There could be memories long since gone from her mind. Maybe some could even be dreams, things that had never actually happened. God she hoped not. She was already left without motor function, she didn't want her brain to bugger off on her to.

Rita came back in, sighing but when she sat down, she had a forced smile on. "Well, Lori coming down later on this week. I also called Lynn while I was in the bedroom, I tried to bring her back in here with me, but she's already on her way over as soon as she heard."

Lynn was coming over now? Like right now?!

"That being said, I think we should hold off on calling any of the others. Three visits today is enough, don't you think so?" Rita asked.

"Yeah." Lucy omitted dully.

Rita blinked, looking concerned again. "Honey… Are you ok?" The woman leaned over and squeezed her knee. "You look a little off."

"I'm fine." Lucy said. She didn't really feel it, but she wasn't really lying either. She was just tired…

"Well, Lynn should be here shortly. She lived only a few blocks away and you know how fast she can go." Rita chuckled.

"Yeah." Lucy smiled as she remembered her athletic sister literally bouncing off the walls back home.

"Well she'll likely stay for dinner, so I better start something with lots of protein." Rita sighed. " Meat loaf maybe. You want me to turn on the TV?"

She was kinda sick of Tv right now. "Nah, I'm cool with the silent brooding for now." Lucy smiled. She tried to shrug before she remembered. Dammit.

"Well if you need anything, just yell ok?" Rita said softly, stroking Lucy's cheek. She waited for her daughter to nodd before she left. Lucy returned her gaze to the blackened tv once more.

This sight was one she'd likely see a lot more of.

Her eyes darted down to her body for what felt like the hundredth time. She eyed her socked foot before trying to focus. She tried to move it… It didn't twitch. She tried a bit harder…. Nothing.

Lucy sighed, not really knowing what she had expected.

BLAM.

Lucy would have jumped if she could have. Her heart certainly did. She turned as voices came out of the kitchen.

"Oh man! Mom! Hey! Where is she?!"

Lynn's voice was just as she remembered it, a little rough but still effeminate. She heard her mother chuckle softly.

"She's in the living room. Just go easy on her ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure!" Lynn dismissed easily. Lucy watched as Lynn's head peered around the doorway of the kitchen. "LUC!"

"Hey." Lucy smiled a bit as her athletic sister nearly blinded the room with her own smile.

"Holy crap it's so good to see you awake!" Lynn said excitedly and coming into the room-

What….

Lucy felt her eyes widen at the sight of Lynn. Lynn paused when her sister's face dropped. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lucy couldn't tear her eyes away. Lynn frowned as well, following her sister gaze. "Oh. Oh yeah… Guess she didn't tell you? Its cool, yeah know?" Lynn didn't look like it was cool, in fact she looked uncomfortable, but Lucy couldn't blame her.

Lynn just wasn't made for a wheelchair.


End file.
